Council elections information for ratepayers

In Victoria, general council elections are held every four years and it is compulsory to vote. The most recent general council election was held in October 2024 and the next general council election will be held in October 2028.

The election will be managed by the Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC). The election will be by postal ballot only. For more information, visit Victorian Electoral Commission.

Enrolling for council elections means you get to have a say in who represents your community. It's your chance to choose candidates who understand and address your local needs, from planning and safety to libraries and environmental issues. By being on the voters' roll and voting in an election, you actively shape the future of your area and ensure your voice matters in decisions that impact your property. It's a simple yet powerful way to contribute to your community's wellbeing and have a direct impact on local policies and initiatives.

You must enrol and vote, if you:

  • are 18 years or older
  • are an Australian citizen
  • have lived at your address in the Hobsons Bay City Council for longer than 1 month

Some ratepayers can apply to become council-enrolled voters in the Hobsons Bay City Council, if they are:

  • a property owner, occupier or represent a corporation
  • 18 or older
  • not a State-enrolled voter within the Hobsons Bay City Council area

These are known as council-enrolled voters.

 

If you are on the state electoral list as living within Hobsons Bay City Council, there is no need for you to enrol to vote.

Owner ratepayers

If you are on the state electoral list as living within Hobsons Bay City Council, there is no need for you to enrol to vote.

You can apply to enrol in the Hobsons Bay City Council, if you:

  • own property and pay rates in the council area
  • are 18 or older
  • are not a state-enrolled voter who lives in the Hobsons Bay City Council

This includes:

  • Australian citizens who own a property in the Hobsons Bay City Council but do not live in the area (for example, an investment or a holiday home)
  • non-citizens over 18 who own a property and live in Hobsons Bay City Council

Up to 2 ratepayers can apply to enrol per property, but each person only gets 1 vote.

You can enrol to vote online at Owner/Ratepayer Application for Enrolment

 

Owner ratepayers’ enrolment does not expire, but they can apply to resign their enrolment.

Occupier ratepayers

If you are on the state electoral list as living within Hobsons Bay City Council, there is no need for you to enrol to vote.

You can apply to enrol in the Hobsons Bay City Council, if you:

  • pay rates for a property that you occupy but do not own
  • are 18 or older
  • are not a state-enrolled voter

Up to 2 people per property can apply to enrol, but each person only gets one vote.

You can enrol to vote online at Occupier Application for Enrolment

 

Occupier ratepayers enrolment expires before the next local government general election. If you want to continue to vote, you must apply to enrol again before the next local council general election.

Corporations

You can apply to enrol to vote on behalf of a corporation, if you:

  • are a director or company secretary of a corporation that pays rates (either as an owner or an occupier) in the Hobsons Bay City Council area
  • have consented to being appointed as the corporation’s representative
  • are not already a state-enrolled voter or council-enrolled voter for Hobsons Bay City Council

 

Only 1 person can apply to enrol as the corporation’s representative.

You can enrol to vote online at Corporation Owner/Occupier

 

Corporations’ enrolment expires before the next local government general election. If you want to continue to vote, you must apply to enrol again before the next local council general election.

Silent Voter

You can apply to be registered as a silent elector if you believe having your address included on the publicly available electoral roll could put you or your family’s safety at risk.

You can request for your address to be suppressed on the Voters' Roll.

A statutory declaration must accompany this form and be emailed to customerservices@hobsonsbay.vic.gov.au

You must explain in detail what you consider the risk to be and why your, or your family’s, personal safety is at risk in a statutory declaration. Your statutory declaration must be witnessed by an authorised person.

 

Applications will be approved or denied by Council’s Chief Executive Officer.

 

You can enrol to be registered as a silent elector online at Silent Voter Application

Once you are enrolled, you must vote in all future elections, unless you withdraw your enrolment. If you don’t vote, you may get a fine.

Resigning your enrolment

If you have previously enrolled to vote in Hobsons Bay City Council elections, and no longer wish to vote in future elections, you can apply to resign your enrolment using the following forms

Owner/Occupier Ratepayer Resignation

Corporation Owner/Occupier Resignation

Corporation Owner/Occupier Revocation

 

Expiry of enrolment

Occupier ratepayers’ and corporations’ enrolment expires before the next local government general election.

If you want to continue to vote, you must apply to enrol again before the next local council general election (2028).

Hobsons Bay City Council will send you an invitation when it is time to renew your enrolment.

Owner ratepayers’ enrolment does not expire, but they can apply to resign their enrolment.

 

For more information visit the VEC website. Phone 1300 805 478 or email info@vec.vic.gov.au

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