The next election is October 2026.
| Monday 7 September | Nominations open |
| Thursday 10 September | Enrolment closes |
| Monday 21 September | Nominations close |
| Tuesday 22 September | Nominations announced |
| Monday 5 October | Ballot packs delivered by post |
| Tuesday 27 October | Close of poll |
| Wednesday 28 October | Counting commences |
Who can vote at a local government election?
Voting in Tasmanian local government elections is compulsory for all residents on the State Electoral Roll. Failure to vote may result in a fine. To check whether you’re enrolled, visit the Tasmanian Electoral Commission (TEC) website.
Voting remains optional for those enrolled on the General Manager’s Roll.
General Manager's Roll
You may be eligible for the West Coast Council General Manager’s Local Government Roll if:
- you are a resident in the West Coast Council municipality but not eligible for the state electoral roll (eg. you are not an Australian Citizen)
- you own or occupy land in the West Coast municipality but do not live on the West Coast (eg. you lease a shop or own a shack)
- you are the nominated representative of a corporate body that owns or occupies land on the West Coast
How to enrol
Enrolment on the General Manager’s Roll is not automatic, but requires you to register by downloading, then print and complete the request form:
Entry to the General Managers Roll can be obtained by completing the relevant form below. Completed forms should be returned to the Council office (in person or by mail to PO Box 63 (11 Sticht Street) Queenstown TAS 7467) or email to ea@westcoast.tas.gov.au
Past Election Results
Caretaker Period
While the Tasmanian Electoral Commission (TEC) conducts the local government elections, West Coast Council’s General Manager has an important responsibility to help ensure the election period is fair, transparent, and compliant with legislation.
One of these responsibilities is overseeing the caretaker period. The caretaker period begins once candidate nominations open and continues until the election polls are closed.
During this time, Council continues to deliver essential services and day-to-day operations as normal, but there are additional rules in place to ensure political neutrality. This means:
- Council continues to provide services to the community.
- Council meetings may still be held, but decisions on major or significant matters are deferred.
- Council resources must not be used to support or oppose any candidate or influence the election.
- Council remains politically neutral throughout the election period.
The General Manager is responsible for ensuring Council complies with its Caretaker Policy and meets its legislative obligations during this time.
The caretaker period helps ensure the election is conducted fairly and that all candidates are treated equally.
Candidate Information
In October 2026, elections will be held for councillor, mayor and deputy mayor positions across all 29 councils in Tasmania. Local government plays a vital role in shaping our communities, from roads and infrastructure to services, planning and community wellbeing.
The elections are an important opportunity for Tasmanians to have their say on who represents them.
If you are considering nominating, it is important to learn more about the process and how you can best represent your community. The Local Government Association of Tasmania (LGAT) has prepared a Candidate Handbook outlining the nomination process, including eligibility and campaigning. The Handbook can be downloaded from LGAT’s website.
Additionally, the Tasmanian Electoral Commission website provides information and steps essential for candidates to read, understand and follow. There is a strict timeframe and requirements for nominating as a candidate and in completing and submitting your candidate statement and photograph. Visit the TEC website regularly to stay up to date:
Please visit the Tasmanian Electoral Commission’s website to get all of the up-to-date information about Local Government Elections. For any further questions, contact the TEC on 1800 801 701.