Information for Election Nominees

Nominations have closed for the 2023 Local Government Election.

Meet your Election Candidates 

Nominating to be a Councillor or the Mayor

To nominate for the position of Councillor or Mayor, you will need to complete the nomination process. This involves:

• Complete a compulsory online Candidate Induction
• Complete the nomination form on the WAEC website
• Lodge your completed nomination form with the Returning Officer before the close of nominations – contact 9397 3046 to make an appointment
• Include a Candidate Profile with your nomination form
• Pay a $100 deposit at the time of submitting a nomination
• If an agent is lodging a nomination form on behalf of a candidate, a form with the written consent of the candidate must be included with the nomination.

Candidates may also provide a written statement in English, of up to 2,000 characters (including spaces) with their nomination paper (optional).

A Candidate Information Webinar was held on the 14 August 2023 hosted by the Western Australian Local Government Association and featuring presentations from the Electoral Commission, the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Activities. A recording of the webinar can be viewed here.

As the City's elections are run by the Western Australian Electoral Commission all nominations must be directed to the Returning Officer appointed by the WAEC. For more information, contact the Western Australian Electoral Commission on 13 63 06 or go to their website.

Who can nominate

To stand for election as a Councillor or the Mayor, you must:

• be 18 years of age or older
• be an elector of the district, or an owner/occupier (if you are only an elector because you are a nominee of a company then you are not eligible to stand)
• if you are a current Councillor, have a term of office that ends on Election Day
• not be disqualified by anything listed below.

You are not eligible to nominate if you:

• are a member of a 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 as well as Councillor)
• are currently disqualified by the State Administrative Tribunal from holding office as a member of a council.

What does the Mayor do?

The role of the Mayor is to preside at council meetings, carry out civic and ceremonial duties (such as conducting citizenship ceremonies), speak on behalf of the local government, liaise with the CEO on the local government's affairs and the performance of its functions, and provide leadership and guidance to the community.

What does a Councillor do?

The role of the Councillors is to provide leadership and facilitate communication between the Council and members of the community. They achieve this by representing the interests of electors, ratepayers and residents as well as participating in decision-making processes at regular council meetings.

More information on the role of a council member is available from the Department of Local Government, Sport & Cultural Industries (DLGSC) website.

Election Disclosure of Gift Form for Candidates and Donors

A Disclosure of Gift Form is required to be submitted if you:

• Are a candidate who receives a gift during an election campaign, or
• Donate a gift to a candidate.

This form is required by law and applies to gifts over $300. Both candidates and donors must complete the form within three days of the gift being received or given (after nominations are made).

A copy of the form is available at Election Disclosure of Gift Form.

Election Signage

Please refer to the City's Election Signage Fact Sheet for more information.