Local Government Elections are held every two years.
The 2023 election will be conducted as a postal election with a Returning Officer appointed by the Western Australian Electoral Commission.
Four positions will be contested at this election. The sitting Councillors whose terms will expiry on 16 October 2021 are:
2021 Election Timeline
The timetable for the 2021 local government elections is available here.
Information for Electors
If you are an owner or occupier of rateable property within the Shire of Waroona, and meet the eligibility criteria, you are entitled to be enrolled to vote at Council elections.
Please note that if you are unsure of your eligibility status, please contact the Shire well in advance of any Council election or check your enrolment at the Western Australian Electoral Commission website.
To vote in the 2021 Shire of Waroona local government elections, you must be enrolled on either the Residents Roll or the Non-Resident Owners and Occupiers Roll by 27 August 2021.
Residents’ Roll
If you are enrolled on the State electoral roll as living at the relevant address in the Shire then you are automatically included on the local government roll.
If you are not on the State electoral roll and meet the eligibility criteria, please visit the enrolment page of the Western Australian Electoral Commission to enrol online or to download an enrolment form.
Non-Resident Owners and Occupiers’ Roll
If you are an owner or occupier of a Shire of Waroona rateable property and you are enrolled on the State roll as living outside the district, or if you are not on any other roll but meet the eligibility criteria, enrolment is no longer automatic so you must apply to be placed on the local roll by lodging an enrolment form at the Shire of Waroona Administration Office. There are several provisions which relate to occupiers of property and to people who are not enrolled on the State rolls.
Enrolment Eligibility Claim Form
Information for Candidates
Eligibility
To stand for election as a Councillor, you must:
- Be 18 years of age or older;
- Be an elector of the Shire of Waroona;
- Not be nominating as a candidate in another election; and
- Complete the mandatory online induction course.
You are not eligible to nominate for council if you:
- Are a member of State or Federal Parliament;
- Are an insolvent under administration;
- Are serving a prison sentence for a crime;
- Have been convicted of a serious local government offence within the last five years, (unless the court has waived the disqualification);
- Have been convicted on indictment of an offence for which the penalty was or included imprisonment for life, or imprisonment for more than five years;
- Are a member of another council;
- Are subject to a court order disqualifying you from being a council member because you have misapplied local government funds or property;
- Are on the local electoral roll as the nominee of a body corporate;
- Propose standing for two positions on council (unless you are standing for mayor or president as well as councillor); or
- Are currently disqualified by the State Administrative Tribunal from holding office as a member of a council.
Nominations
Under the Local Government Act 1995, candidates can submit their nominations to the Returning Officer during a seven day window commencing 44 days prior to Election Day.
In 2021 the nomination period will open on Thursday, 2 September 2021 and close on Thursday, 9 September 2021 at 4pm.
Prior to lodging your nomination with the Returning Officer, section 4.48(1)(d) the Local Government Act 1995 requires that you complete a candidate induction. The Induction for Prospective Candidates can be completed online via the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries website.
For more information, please contact the Returning Officer Rosemarree Reynolds-Davis on 0458 802 828 or Western Australian Electoral Commission on 13 63 06.
Candidate Information Briefing Session
Western Australian Local Government Association hosted an information session intended for candidates who are considering nominating for election, and prepare those who are successful in the election for life as a council member.
The session focused on the following key areas:
- Purpose of Local Government
- Role of the Council and Council Members
- Important Provisions of the Local Government Act 1995 and Regulations
- How Local Government Decision-making Occurs
- Personal Responsibility to Understand Conflicts of Interest
- New Code of Conduct Behaviour Provisions Relating to Candidates
- Induction and Council Member Essentials Training
- FAQs / Question and Answer Session
To view the video recording or to download the presentation and Q&A session, please visit Western Australian Local Government Association.
Useful Resources
The Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries has a suite of resources available for electors and candidates including:
- An introduction to local government;
- The role of a council member;
- Nominating to be a council member;
- Election campaigning;
- Conduct of local government elections;
- What happens when you become a council member;
- Electoral gifts and crowdfunding; and
- Be a vocal local – stand for council.
For further information on local government elections, please visit the Western Australian Electoral Commission website or Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries website.
Frequently Asked Questions
Candidates
Which of the current Elected Members’ terms expire in 2021?
The terms of Councillors Noel Dew, Naomi Purcell, Larry Scott and Mike Walmsley expire in 2021 and they are eligible for re-election, should they choose to be a candidate.
When do nominations for candidates open?
Thursday, 2 September 2021
When do nominations for candidates close?
Thursday, 9 September 2021 at 4.00pm.
Who can be a candidate?
Anyone who is on the Shire of Waroona Electoral Roll as a resident, or a non-resident owner or occupier of rateable property within the Shire of Waroona (and is not disqualified) can be a candidate. Further detail on who is qualified to be a candidate is outlined in sections 2.19 to 2.24 of the Local Government Act 1995.
Enrolment
Who is entitled to vote?
The roll for this election consists of:
- Individuals who live in the Shire of Waroona district and who are enrolled on the State Electoral Roll (the Residents’ Roll)
- Non-resident owners or occupiers of rateable property in the Shire of Waroona district (the Shire’s Non-Resident Owners and Occupiers Roll
What is the Residents’ Roll?
Those residents who live in the Shire of Waroona district that are enrolled on the State Electoral Roll are automatically enrolled on the Residents’ Roll for local government elections.
What is the Non-Resident Owners and Occupiers Roll?
Owners of land or nominees of corporate bodies who own or occupy rateable property in the Shire of Waroona, but are not enrolled on the State Electoral Roll for the shire of Waroona district, may apply to be on the Non-Resident Owners and Occupiers Roll, providing they are on the State or Commonwealth Government Electoral Roll for a residential address outside the Shire's district.
What is a Non-Resident Owner?
A non-resident owner is a person who owns rateable land within the Shire of Waroona district but is not a resident. To be eligible to be on the roll, a non-resident owner must be enrolled on the State or Commonwealth Government Electoral Roll for the area where they live.
What is a Non-Resident Occupier?
A non-resident occupier is a person, living outside the Shire of Waroona district, who leases or occupies rateable property within the Shire. To be eligible to vote the person must be enrolled on the State or Commonwealth Government Electoral Roll where they live, and have a right of continuous occupation under a lease, tenancy agreement or other legal instrument of the property within the district where they seek a vote. The right of continuous occupation must extend for a period of at least three months at the time the person claims enrolment.
Are people who do not live in the Shire of Waroona able to vote?
Yes. Electors of a local government consist of eligible non-resident property owners and occupiers and residents of the district. Local government provides services to both people and property and the rates levied are paid not only by residents but also non-resident business owners and other people who own or occupy property. Where people personally own or occupy property, but are not residents of the district, they are able to enrol to vote.
When is the last day I can enrol to vote in these Elections?
People who live in the Shire (whether they own a property or rent it) are automatically enrolled for the Shire of Waroona Local Government Elections if they are enrolled on the State Electoral Roll. They must be enrolled on the State Electoral Roll by 5.00pm, Friday 27 August 2021 to be eligible to vote in the 2021 Shire of Waroona Local Government Elections.
Residents should direct enquiries about the State Electoral Roll to the Western Australian Electoral Commission on 13 63 06.
Individuals and companies that own or occupy property in the Shire may enrol, (or nominees may be enrolled on behalf of companies) up to 5.00pm on Friday 27 August 2021 in order to be eligible to vote in the 2021 Shire of Waroona Local Government Elections. Those enrolling must be on the State or Commonwealth Electoral Roll and reside outside of the Shire of Waroona district
What is the voting entitlement per person or property?
A person may have his or her name on the roll only once regardless of the number of properties owned or occupied. A company may have a maximum of two people on the roll as nominees of that company regardless of the number of properties owned or occupied.
“Occupation” means having a right under a lease, tenancy agreement or other legal instrument, to be in continuous occupation of a definable piece of rateable property for a least the next three months after the date of application.
Where can I find enrolment forms?
Enrolment forms may be obtained by contacting the Shire of Waroona at warshire@waroona.wa.gov.au or 9733 7800.
The Election
Who conducts the elections?
The elections will be conducted by the Western Australian Electoral Commission (WAEC) as a postal election. Election Packages containing information on the candidates, instructions on how to vote, the ballot paper, and the return envelopes will be posted to electors about three weeks before the Election Day.
Is voting compulsory?
No, voting in local government elections in not compulsory in Western Australia.
Is early or absent voting available?
No. Early or absent voting is not available for postal elections. If you are going to be away at the time of the election, you need to get someone to forward your ballot voting package to you.
By when must the ballot paper be returned?
All ballot papers must be returned by 6.00pm on Saturday 16 October 2021 to be included in the count for the election. Additional time needs to be considered to ensure delivery of the ballot papers to the WAEC by Australia Post.
On Election Day, Saturday 16 October 2021, election packages can be personally delivered to the Returning Officer, who will be at the Shire of Waroona Administration Office at 52 Hesse Street, Waroona between 8.00am and 6.00pm.
What if I don’t receive a postal voting package?
Election packages are posted to all electors on the Shire of Waroona roll approximately three weeks before Election Day. Every person on the roll will be issued a ballot paper by mail and invited to complete the ballot paper and return it to the Shire by 6.00pm on Election Day.
A replacement package can be issued if it has been lost or destroyed.
2019 Election Results
Congratulations to the following candidates who were successful:
- Karen Odorisio
- John Mason
- Vince Vitale
- Laurie Snell
The official election results are below. For previous election results, please visit Western Australian Electoral Commission
