2023 LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS
Local government ordinary elections are held on the third Saturday in October every two years. The next ordinary elections are scheduled for Saturday 21 October 2023. Elections are held every two years for half of the council, and candidates are elected using the optional preferential voting system.
The Local Government Reform Bill 2023 passed through Parliament on 11 May 2023 delivering tranche 1 of the proposed local government reforms.
The first set of regulations will be focused on electoral reform which will affect the 2023 Ordinary Local Government Elections.
The Shire of Kent advised the Minister for Local Government that its Council was taking the voluntary pathway to reform, including a reduction in the number of elected members.
Phase 1 of the reduction in elected members will take place at the 2023 Ordinary Local Government Election, with a reduction in vacancies from eight to six.
The Shire of Kent will have four vacancies with current Councillors Scott Crosby, Greg Hobley, Renae Jury, and Tim Borgward completing their terms. There will be 3 4-year-term positions, and 1 2-year-term position available for nomination. Councillors Kate Johnston and Darren Gray will remain on council until their terms are completed in October 2025.
If the number of candidates is equal to the number of vacancies, the candidate is elected unopposed. If there are more candidates than vacancies, the election will proceed.
Anyone interested in becoming a candidate is encouraged to speak with current Councillors to gain further insights into what the role entails, or alternatively attend a Council Meeting. See https://www.kent.wa.gov.au/council/council-meetings/ to find out when the next meeting takes place.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT CANDIDATES
Information about becoming a candidate in a local government election.
- Nominations open: Thursday 31 August
- Nominations close: Thursday 7 September, 4 pm
Who can be a candidate?
Under the Local Government Act 1995, to be eligible to nominate as a candidate for a local government election, the candidate must be:
- an elector of the district (residential or owner/occupier) and
- over 18 years of age.
- Not disqualified by anything below.
A person cannot nominate to be a candidate nor remain a councillor if they:
- are a member of State or Federal Parliament
- are a member of the council of another local government
- are an insolvent under administration
- are in prison serving a sentence for a crime
- have been convicted of a serious local government offence within the last five years (unless the court waived the disqualification)
- have been convicted on indictment of an offence for which the indictable penalty was, or included:
- imprisonment for life, or
- imprisonment for more than five years
- are subject to a court order disqualifying them from being a member of a council because they have misapplied local government funds or property
- are a nominee of a body corporate
- propose standing for two positions on council (unless standing for mayor or president as well as councillor)
- are currently disqualified by the State Administrative Tribunal from holding office as a member of a council.
Before nominating, all candidates must complete an online induction via the Department of Local Government, Sport & Cultural Industries.
How to nominate
To nominate as a candidate for a local government election, the candidate must submit an application consisting of:
- a completed nomination form
- a candidate profile which must:
- be in English
- be no more than 1000 characters (including spaces)
- not contain false, defamatory or misleading information
- fit on an A4 page
- include the candidate’s full name and contact information
- a photograph, no larger than passport-sized and taken in the last six months (optional).
- a deposit of $100
Candidates may also provide a written statement in English, of up to 2,000 characters (including spaces) with their nomination paper (optional).
All nomination applications must be signed by the candidate in front of a witness.
The nomination application must be submitted to the Shire Offices during the nomination period (31 August – 4 pm, 7 September 2023).
As the Returning Officer may ask candidates to amend their nomination, it is recommended that candidates ensure they have allowed sufficient time to finalise any required changes before the close of nominations.
More information
Additional information for candidates can be found on the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries website.
Returning Officers
Returning Officers are responsible for the conduct of an election, including the nominations process. They are usually the first point of contact for any enquires relating to the election. Christie Smith is the Shire of Kent Returning Officer. Please direct any enquires to admin@kent.wa.gov.au or call 9851 9780 and ask for Christie.
Authorisation of election campaign material
Information about authorisation of electoral material and other matters.
Disclosures
Candidates have a duty of disclosure of electoral donations. Candidates and donors are required to disclose any electoral related gifts promised or received within the six months prior to polling day.
All queries should be directed to the local government’s Chief Executive Officer.
INFORMATION FOR VOTERS
- Form 2A – Application to register a nominee for a body corporate
- Form 2B – Application to register a nominee for co-owners or occupiers
More Information
For more information on local government elections, please contact the Department of Local Government, Sport & Cultural Industries or the Western Australian Electoral Commission (WAEC):
| LOCAL GOVERNMENT ORDINARY ELECTION CLOSE OF ENROLMENTS SHIRE OF KENT ROLL CLOSE: 5:00 PM Friday, 25 August 2023 |
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You may be eligible to be enrolled to vote in the local government elections on 21 October 2023 if you live in or are an owner or occupier of rateable property in the Shire of Kent.
Residents
Enrolment Forms You can enrol or update your details online, or download an enrolment form, via the Western Australian Electoral Commission website (www.elections.wa.gov.au/enrol). Forms are also available from the Australian Electoral Commission (www.aec.gov.au). Enrolments and updates must be completed and received by 5:00 PM Friday, 25 August 2023.
Non-Resident Owners and Occupiers If you are a non-resident owner or occupier of rateable property in the Shire of Kent and are on the State or Commonwealth Electoral Roll, you are eligible to enrol to vote. If you are not on the State or Commonwealth Electoral Roll and own or occupy rateable property in the Shire of Kent you may be eligible to enrol to vote. This applies if you were on the last electoral roll for the Shire of Kent prior to May 1996 and have owned or occupied rateable property in the district continuously since this time. Please contact your local government for details. Owners of land who were on the last Local Government roll continue to retain that status until they cease to own the rateable property to which the enrolment relates. Occupiers do not have continuous enrolment and should contact the Shire of Kent to confirm their enrolment status. To be eligible to enrol as an occupier, you will need to have a right of continuous occupation under a lease, tenancy agreement or other legal instrument for at least the next three months following the date of the application to enrol.
Joint Owners and Occupiers If a rateable property is owned or occupied by more than two people, a majority of the owners/occupiers may nominate two persons from amongst themselves who are on either the State or Commonwealth Electoral Roll, to enrol as owner/occupier electors.
Corporations
Enrolment Forms – Non-Resident Owners and Occupiers Only
Peter Clarke A/CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER |