Divisional boundary reviews

Divisional boundaries are reviewed in the year before the local government quadrennial elections, as required by law.

Each council division is required to have relatively the same number of electors so that each person's vote carries the same weight (one vote, one value). This is known as a 'reasonable proportion of electors' (quota).

Reasonable proportion of electors (quota)

As Queensland's population grows and shifts, the number of voters in each local government area (council) changes.

Divided councils must review enrolment within their divisions and notify the Minister responsible for Local Government (the Minister) and the Electoral Commissioner of the results no later than:

Brisbane City Council - 1 October, two years before the local government quadrennial elections.
Other divided councils (except Indigenous regional councils) - 1 March, the year before the local government quadrennial elections.

To determine the quota, the total number of enrolled electors in a local government area is divided by the number of councillors (excluding the mayor). A tolerance of either 10 per cent or 20 per cent is allowed depending on the number of electors:

For a local government area with more than 10,000 electors: 10 per cent.
For any other local government area: 20 per cent.

See section 15 of the Local Government Act 2009 and section 17 of the City of Brisbane Act 2010 for more information.

Reviews prior to 2024 local government elections

Local governments with divisions out of quota have been reviewed during 2023 so that changes can be implemented before the 2024 local government elections.

The status of enrolment reviews is:

Brisbane City Council – a review of the 26 Brisbane City Council wards as at 31 August 2022 determined that all wards have a reasonable proportion of electors and a divisional boundary review was not required to be undertaken prior to the 2024 local government elections.
Other divided councils – the Change Commission has now finalised divisional boundary reviews for the Bundaberg, Fraser Coast, Isaac and Tablelands Regional Councils. The final reports and maps can be viewed in the 2023 section below.