Who can be a candidate

Who can be a candidate?

All candidates must meet the following mandatory eligibility requirements as set out in the Local Government Act 2009, the City of Brisbane Act 2010 and the Local Government Electoral Act 2011.

To be a councillor, a person must:

  • be an adult Australian citizen (including an Australian citizen who holds dual citizenship with another country)
  • reside in the local government area for which they are nominating (note: if standing for election in an electoral division of a divided local government area, the candidate is not required to reside in that division but must live within the local government area)
  • be enrolled on the Queensland electoral roll
  • not be disqualified from being a councillor because of a conviction for the following types of offences:
    • a treason offence
    • an electoral offence
    • a bribery offence
    • an integrity offence
  • not be subject to other circumstances including:
    • being an undischarged bankrupt
    • being on probation, in prison, or on parole
    • being a member of a state or federal parliament or a councillor of a local government in another state.

The legislation governing eligibility to become a councillor can be found in the Local Government Act 2009, the City of Brisbane Act 2010, and the Local Government Electoral Act 2011, available at www.legislation.qld.gov.au.

The ECQ and returning officers cannot give eligibility advice. If you are in doubt of your eligibility you should consult the relevant legislation or seek independent legal advice.

For Brisbane City Council elections, read the City of Brisbane Act 2010, section 153. For all other local government elections, read the Local Government Act 2009, section 153 .

Links to further information: