2024 Media statements

November

Declarations completed in Queensland State election

12 November 2024

The Electoral Commission of Queensland has announced all declarations for the 2024 State General election have been completed and the writ has been returned to the Governor, Her Excellency the Honourable Dr Jeanette Young.

Electoral Commissioner Pat Vidgen said to have the election delivered and all declarations completed within 13 days of the 26 October election is an extraordinary effort by everyone involved.

“Almost 3.23 million people voted in this election, representing a voter turnout of 87.75 per cent, which is around the same as the 2020 State general election (87.92 per cent),” he said.

The enormity of delivering an event of this scale can be seen in the numbers of people, places and resources we engaged to make it happen, Mr Vidgen said.

“Our team for this election comprised of more than 15,000 election staff and 93 Returning Officers,” he said.

“We extended voting hours to 100 hours at over 200 venues, which resulted in around 50 per cent of votes being cast before the doors opened on election day.

“Postal voting comprised 16 per cent of the vote, while election day votes made up 31 per cent of the vote.

“Our staff have worked promptly to ensure all votes were scrutinised and counted in a timely manner to bring this election to a close,” he said

“To deliver election day on Saturday 26 October, there were over 1,000 polling booths at the ready to handle almost 1 million eligible voters who voted across the state.

“Comparatively, the trend for this election favoured early voting over election day voting, which is something we will consider in future planning.

“In addition to these figures there were postal votes, mobile polling and telephone votes that added to the impressively large number of votes processed for 2024.

“Whilst the numbers are impressive, it is still important to note that 3.9 per cent were deemed informal, meaning they were unable to be counted.

“I want to also thank the 525 candidates who stood for election, either endorsed by one of nine registered political parties or as an independent, eager to represent their constituents in the Queensland Parliament.

“A recount was also undertaken in Aspley where the results were very close.

“The writ has been returned to the Governor, and the ECQ begins the process of compiling the election report detailing an analysis and evaluation of the event,” Mr Vidgen said.

When complete, the election report will be tabled in Parliament and made available on the ECQ’s website at ecq.qld.gov.au.

ENDS

Media contact: media@ecq.qld.gov.au 0438 120 699

October

Counting begins in Queensland State election

6:00pm, Saturday 26 October 2024

Voting in the 2024 State election has now closed, and the preliminary count has commenced.

Electoral Commissioner, Pat Vidgen said the ECQ had begun counting millions of votes following the close of polls at 6pm.

“Queenslanders have had their say, choosing a variety of ways to vote including almost 1 million voting on election day and almost 2 million people voting early, by postal vote or other methods,” he said.

The final voter turnout will be determined after the postal vote return deadline on 5 November and scrutiny of declaration votes is completed.

“At 6pm, election staff began counting votes made early, today and by post.

“Votes are counted by hand by election staff in the presence of scrutineers. There are millions of ballot papers to count, and they are all counted more than once, to ensure accuracy of the results.

“The vote count must be right, not rushed,” Mr Vidgen said.

The preliminary count begins after 6pm on election day, and includes the counting of election day votes, early votes and the postal votes that have been scrutinised and accepted into the count.

Counts will be published throughout the evening on the ECQ's results website at ecq.qld.gov.au/results.

More information about the vote counting process is available in the ECQ’s Vote counting fact sheet.

“The official count will begin from Sunday and will include a recount of all votes on hand,” Mr Vidgen said.

Mr Vidgen said the ECQ will not declare the result of an election until the outcome is certain.  

“In many electorates, the distribution of preferences will determine the outcome. We may need to wait until enough outstanding postal votes are received and counted to ensure there is certainty that a candidate has the majority of votes.

“At this stage we estimate around 232,000 postal votes are yet to be received by the ECQ,” Mr Vidgen said.

“Postal votes must be received by the end of 5 November 2024 to be included in the count.

“So, electors are encouraged to send their completed postal votes back without delay,” he said.

Voting has also closed, and counting has commenced in the Ipswich City Council Division 4 by-election. Results information for the by-election is on the ECQ website at ecq.qld.gov.au/resultsibe.

Mr Vidgen said election day voting had been efficient for most Queenslanders, with many electors choosing to cast their vote during extended early voting.

“Queenslanders reacted positively to the expanded hours for early voting offered at this election, with more votes cast during the early voting period compared to both the 2020 State general election and March 2024 local government elections.

"I'd also like to thank our 15,727 election staff including our 93 returning officers for a job well done. Many will finish today, but others will continue with us during the counting period," Mr Vidgen said.

For those interested in following the count, visit ecq.qld.gov.au/results.

ENDS

Additional information

It's election day tomorrow – make sure your vote counts!

Friday 25 October 2024

The Electoral Commission of Queensland is looking forward to delivering election day services to those Queenslanders who are yet to vote in the State election tomorrow.

Electoral Commissioner Pat Vidgen said of the 3.68 million voters enrolled to vote in Queensland, almost 2 million people have already voted, either during early voting, postal voting, or through other channels like telephone voting.

“There is still time to vote today by 6pm at one of 200 early voting centres across the state,” he said.

“Otherwise, people who plan to vote on election day, can visit one of more than 1,000 polling booths across the State from 8am tomorrow until 6pm,” he said.

This election will determine the Member of Parliament voters want representing them for the next four years.

The ECQ has issued around 690,000 postal votes, and over 320,000 of these have already been returned and processed by the ECQ.

Voters who have received their postal voting materials, will need to complete their vote by 6pm on election day and return it to the ECQ as soon as possible, but before Tuesday 5 November 2024.

Anyone who has not yet received a postal vote can also choose to vote in person at any polling booth.

Voters will notice more staff, including queue controllers, at polling booths to help people get in and out quickly.

To ensure faster mark-off against the electoral roll, voters are encouraged to bring their big maroon Voter Information Card with them. An email version of the Voter Information Card has also been sent to voters that have their email address registered on the electoral roll.

People can find their nearest election day polling booth by using the QR codes included on their Voter Information Card or by visiting ecq.qld.gov.au/booths.

“I want to remind electors that voting is compulsory, but for a State election you can vote anywhere in the state,” Mr Vidgen said.

“The only exception is for Ipswich residents who are voting in the Ipswich City Council Division 4 by-election, who must vote in their local government area or at Brisbane City Hall.”

“Please ensure your vote counts by numbering all boxes on the ballot paper in order of your preference or simply follow the instructions on your ballot paper.”

For more information about the 2024 State election, visit the ECQ website at ecq.qld.gov.au or call our friendly staff on 1300 881 665 if you have a question.

ENDS

Additional information

YOU STILL HAVE 1 WEEK TO VOTE EARLY!

Monday 21 October 2024

Around 770,000 people have turned out to vote early in the 2024 State election at more than 200 early voting centres across the state.

Electoral Commissioner Pat Vidgen has voiced how impressed he is with the turnout so far, showing Queenslanders’ interest in voting early, when it’s convenient to them, and during our extended voting hours.

“The number of people who are taking advantage of 100 hours of early voting —10 hours a day over 10 days — is pleasing to see,” he said.

Mr Vidgen said early voting will continue until Friday 25 October with centres open 8am to 6pm.

“If you miss out, more than 1,000 election day polling booths will open on Saturday 26 October from 8am and close at 6pm, before counting commences,” he said.

“Big maroon Voter Information Cards have been mailed to voters throughout the state, providing QR codes to make it easy to find the nearest early voting centre or election day polling booth in your electorate.”

An electronic version of this card has also been sent to people who have registered their email address on the electoral roll.

“If you bring the card or show your email, you’ll be marked off faster,” he advised.

In view of the strong turnout during the first week of early voting, the ECQ has reviewed turnout figures across the state to ensure the right resourcing is in place for the second week of early voting and on election day.

“We have been pleased at the strong turnout to date, which has been higher than in 2020, but there are still 2.9 million Queenslanders who have not yet voted.

“The ECQ has looked closely at turnout figures to make sure we have the right staff in the right locations to issue votes up to election day, as well as to count votes on election night,” Mr Vidgen said.

Postal voting has also been impressive, with 685,000 postal votes printed and lodged for delivery to voters who applied for them.

“If you have requested a postal vote, you are not locked into this option. You can vote in person by attending an early voting centre or election day polling booth, if you prefer.

“If you do choose to vote in person, you should dispose of your postal ballot papers safely,” Mr Vidgen said.

“I’d also like to remind those of you who will be interstate, overseas, or whose enrolled address is more than 20km from a polling place that they can vote by telephone.”

Criteria apply for this option, which you can read more about here ecq.qld.gov.au/how-to-vote/ways-to-vote. If you do find you are eligible for this two-step process, phone 1300 912 782 within Australia or +61 7 3035 8107 outside Australia.

“Whenever or wherever you vote, please number all boxes on your ballot paper in order of preference.”

Voters are urged to follow the instructions on their ballot paper or ask election staff for assistance.

For those voting in the Ipswich City Council Division 4 by-election, you will need to vote in your local government area or at Brisbane City Hall, and you will receive two ballot papers. Please follow the instruction on the ballot paper as different voting methods apply.

Voters are reminded that voting is compulsory, and failure to do so can attract a fine.

For more information about the 2024 State election, visit ecq.qld.gov.au/2024SGE.  

ENDS

Additional information

Early voting centres open in Queensland State General Election

Monday 14 October 2024

Voting is underway in more than 200 early voting centres across Queensland as electors take advantage of extended early voting to cast their ballot in the 2024 State election. 

Electoral Commissioner Pat Vidgen says early voting is open from 8am to 6pm Monday to Friday on weekdays from today until Friday 25 October. 

“We have expanded voting opportunities for this election by extending early voting by two hours a day and increasing staff numbers to enhance the voting experience for Queensland’s 3.7 million voters,” he said. 

“Close to five million ballot papers have been printed and securely transferred to all our early voting centres to meet the demand of electors who choose to vote at early voting centres. 

“We are aware many Queenslanders prefer to vote early, and our staff have been busy over the last few months making sure these services will be available for early voters from today.”  

Mr Vidgen has urged voters to bring their Voter Information Card with them to vote to make the process quicker. 

“Voters are now receiving their maroon Voter Information Card in the mail and by taking it along to a booth, they will be marked-off faster. But, if you forget your card, you can still vote without it,” he said.  

“Even if you have applied for a postal vote, you can also attend a polling booth anywhere in Queensland and vote in person.” 

Requests for a postal vote will close tonight at 7pm, Monday, 14 October, and postal voting materials are being sent following the close of candidate nominations and printing of ballot papers last week.   

For people who work in the Brisbane CBD, Brisbane City Hall will again be hosting early voting for those looking to vote before or after work or in their lunch break. 

“To ensure your vote counts, make sure you number all the boxes on the ballot paper in order of your preference.” 

Electors in the Ipswich City Council Division 4 must vote in both the local government by-election, in their local area, and in the State election.  

When arriving at a polling booth, those voters will receive two ballot papers to vote in both elections.  

“Please follow the instructions on your ballot paper or ask our election staff for assistance.” 

Voters are reminded that voting is compulsory and failure to do so can attract a fine. 

ENDS

Additional information

Your Queensland election Voter Information Card is on its way

Wednesday 9 October 2024

Queenslanders should receive a Voter Information Card in the mail soon, with all the details they need to vote in the upcoming State general election on 26 October.

Electoral Commissioner Pat Vidgen said the cards are designed to streamline the process for voters wishing to vote in person at an early voting centre or election day polling booth.

“Electors can present the card at any polling place on the day they choose to vote, have the barcode scanned and receive their ballot papers, making the process of roll mark-off simple and faster,” Mr Vidgen said.

“It’s not essential to bring your Voter Information Card when voting in person, but it definitely means the process is quicker and voters can be on their way a lot faster.”

The Voter Information Card has information about the State election, key dates, a voter’s electorate and information about voting early or on election day.

“Voters should be aware that, even if they have applied for a postal vote, they can still choose to go to a polling booth and vote in person.

“They will be marked off the roll and will only be able to vote once,” Mr Vidgen said.

Early voting begins on Monday 14 October 2024 from 8am to 6pm and will continue every weekday until Friday 25 October 2024.

Election day is Saturday, 26 October 2024 with voting between 8am and 6pm. All voting locations and times are on the ECQ’s website at ecq.qld.gov.au/booths.

Electors who do not receive a Voter Information Card are still able to vote easily at any polling place in Queensland, by providing their details for a manual check-off against the electoral roll.

It’s easy to make sure you’re correctly enrolled by going to aec.gov.au.

ENDS

Nine Political Parties and 525 Candidates Nominate for State Election

Tuesday 8 October 2024

The Electoral Commission of Queensland has announced candidates who will contest the State general election on 26 October.

Electoral Commissioner of Queensland, Pat Vidgen announced 525 candidates have nominated across Queensland’s 93 electorates.

“I’m pleased to announce the ballot paper draw is now completed,” he said.

“All of Queensland’s nine registered political parties have endorsed candidates.

“There’s also a large cohort of independent candidates who have put their hands up to represent their communities in State Parliament.

“Queenslanders can now find the candidates running in their electorate by visiting the ECQ 2024 State general election webpage.”

The 525 candidate nominations for the 2024 State general election is a 12% decrease compared to the State election in 2020, which saw 597 candidates and 12 registered political parties participate in that State general election.

Mr Vidgen said the printing of ballot papers can now begin following the ballot paper order draw, which also means postal voters can expect to receive postal ballot materials in the mail shortly.

“Voters should note that postal votes must be completed by 6pm on election day, 26 October, but I urge people to complete their vote, sign, witness and send their envelope back to the ECQ as soon as they can.

“For postal votes to be included in the count they must be returned to the ECQ by Tuesday, 5 November at the very latest.

“The sooner we get them, the sooner we can make sure your vote counts.”

A list of all candidates is available on the ECQ website in ballot paper order here.

The non-endorsed and political party candidate numbers are listed below:

  • 93 Australian Labor Party (State of Queensland)
  • 93 Liberal National Party of Queensland
  • 93 Pauline Hanson’s One Nation Queensland Division
  • 93 Queensland Greens
  • 59 Family First Queensland
  • 38 Independent (non-endorsed) candidates.
  • 29 Legalise Cannabis Queensland (Party)
  • 12 Animal Justice Party (Queensland)
  • 11 Katter’s Australian Party
  • 4 Libertarian Party of Queensland

ENDS

Candidates contesting the Ipswich City Council Division 4 by-election announced

Tuesday 8 October 2024

Candidates for the Ipswich City Council Division 4 councillor position have been announced following the ballot paper draw today, Tuesday 8 October 2024.

The draw was conducted following the close of nominations at 12 noon.

Candidates in ballot paper order for the by-election are:

  • TUULI Raymond
  • MARTIN David
  • MILLIGAN Russell
  • DUNNE Sue

Electoral Commissioner Pat Vidgen said residents living in Ipswich Division 4 will also need to vote in both their local government by-election and the State election on 26 October.

“When voters arrive, they should present their Voter Information Card to the election official who will mark them off the roll and provide two ballot papers – one for the Ipswich Division 4 Councillor position and the other for their State Member of Parliament for the State election.

“It’s important to read the instructions carefully on each ballot paper as these elections will involve different voting systems,” he said.

“If you would like a postal vote, applications close at 7pm on 14 October 2024, noting that if you apply for a postal vote for the State election, you will also receive a postal vote for the Ipswich Division 4 by-election.

Mr Vidgen reminded voters living in Ipswich City Council Division 4 must vote in their local government area, unlike voters across Queensland.

“I want to emphasise to people voting in both elections, that if you are voting in person, you must vote in the Ipswich local government area,” he said.

“There will also be an opportunity to vote for the Ipswich by-election at Brisbane City Hall, for those Ipswich Division 4 electors who work in the Brisbane CBD.”

Voters are reminded that voting is compulsory and failure to vote may incur a fine.

“It’s a great time to plan ahead now for how you will cast your vote in the elections,” Mr Vidgen said.

Ipswich voters can head to ecq.qld.gov.au/ipswich for information about polling booth locations, how to check your enrolment details, to request a postal vote, and learn about the different methods of voting for a councillor in a council election (first past the post – numbering the boxes to the required number of candidates) and how to vote in a State election (full preferential voting – numbering all the boxes in order of preference).

The Ipswich City Council Division 4 by-election was triggered by the resignation of Division 4 Councillor David Cullen.

ENDS

Still time to check your enrolment before the State election

Thursday 3 October 2024

Queenslanders are encouraged to make sure their enrolment details are correct so they can vote and have their say on what counts to them, at the State election on Saturday 26 October.

Electoral Commissioner Pat Vidgen urged Queenslanders to check they’re on the electoral roll now ahead of election day.

“If you’re a long-time voter or voting for the first time, I encourage you to check your details are up-to-date,” Mr Vidgen said.

“It also means you’ll be able to get marked off the roll, receive your ballot papers, and vote more quickly when you arrive to vote.

“Life often gets busy and sometimes we forget to update our enrolment details. So, if you’ve left home, moved house, or turned 18, now’s the time to check your enrolment,” Mr Vidgen said.

If you’re experiencing homelessness, you can still enrol to vote as a ‘person with no fixed address’ with the Australian Electoral Commission.

Simply visit the aec.gov.au website and enrol, or check your details are correct before the rolls close on Saturday 5 October.

Voter Information Cards are currently being printed and will be sent to all electors enrolled to vote using end of September 2024 enrolment data.

The cards are being sent early to ensure voters receive them from or before the start of early voting on 14 October 2024.

“Don’t worry if you forget your Voter Information Card, you can still vote without it.

“Make sure you’re enrolled so you can vote on what counts to you.”

For more information about the State election, locations of early voting and election day polling places, extended voting hours, ways to vote and help available, visit ecq.qld.gov.au.

ENDS

Candidates can nominate for the Queensland election

Wednesday 2 October 2024

There’s one week to nominate for the 2024 State election, with nominations set to close at 12 noon on Tuesday 8 October.

Electoral Commissioner Pat Vidgen urges prospective candidates interested in running in the upcoming State election to nominate now so they don’t miss the upcoming deadline.

“Running for public office is a very significant step for anyone and it’s important to know and understand your obligations as part of the process,” Mr Vidgen said.

Anyone interested in nominating as a candidate should visit the ECQ website and carefully review the requirements and nominate as soon as possible.

“Candidates require a deposit of $250, and if endorsed by a registered political party, must be nominated by the registered officer or deputy registered officer of the party.

“Independent or non-endorsed candidates must be nominated by at least six electors with current enrolment in their electoral district.

“To ensure candidates are eligible to stand, ECQ encourages seeking nominations from more than six voters with current enrolment in their electoral district, as a safeguard,” Mr Vidgen said.

It’s crucial candidates, registered political parties, groups and individuals are aware of the requirements and nominate as early as possible so that any concerns can be addressed early as possible so any concerns can be addressed early.

“Once nominations close, the ballot paper order draw is undertaken, and the ballot papers are printed.”

Details of all nominated candidates will be published on the ECQ website following the close of nominations and the ballot paper order draw.

For more information, visit the ECQ website at ecq.qld.gov.au.

ENDS

Queensland State election Writ issued

Tuesday 1 October 2024

The 2024 Queensland State election has officially commenced, following the issue of the writ by the Governor, Her Excellency the Honourable Dr Jeannette Young A.C. today.

The State election will see approximately 3.7 million Queenslanders cast a vote for who they want to represent them in the Queensland Parliament.

Election day will be on Saturday 26 October, and early voting will be available on weekdays from Monday 14 October until Friday 25 October 2024.

Electoral Commissioner, Pat Vidgen, said the election is an opportunity for voters to have their say on what counts to them.

“People can visit the Australian Electoral Commission website at aec.gov.au to check their enrolment details are up to date or to enrol for the first time, especially those who will be turning 18 before 26 October,” he said.

“Candidates are also encouraged to visit the ECQ website at ecq.qld.gov.au to make sure they meet the criteria to nominate to represent their community.”

Nominations will open from 9.00am tomorrow, 2 October and close at 12 noon on Tuesday, 8 October 2024.

In addition to candidate requirements, registered political parties, associated entities, groups and individuals must also meet obligations, which they can find in detail at the ECQ website.

Mr Vidgen said at this election, there are more options for voters to vote at a time convenient to them.

“People can vote by postal vote or vote early in person during extended hours from 8am to 6pm on weekdays from 14 October to 25 October at any early voting centre in Queensland.

“We’ve also employed more staff to help people fulfil their voting obligations more easily.”

If you need help to vote, information about assisted voting options is available through the ECQ’s Easy read guide to voting, which is available in an accessible format on the ECQ website at ecq.qld.gov.au/how-to-vote/voter-assistance.

Early voting centre and election day polling booth locations are available on the ECQ website or by calling 1300 881 665.

Further details about the election, including the timetable and voting options, are available on the ECQ’s website.

ENDS

September

It’s time to nominate for the Ipswich Division 4 by-election

27 September 2024

Candidate nominations have opened for the Ipswich Division 4 by election to be held on the same day as the State election on 26 October.

Electoral Commissioner Pat Vidgen said the by-election will determine who replaces former councillor David Cullen, who has resigned due to ill health.

"I urge all potential candidates who are considering contesting this by-election, to ensure they confirm their eligibility and complete the necessary online training by 12 noon on Tuesday 8 October,” Mr Vidgen said.

“If you would like to shape the future of Ipswich by being a Division 4 councillor, you need to complete the So you want to be a councillor training, run by the Department of Housing, Local Government, Planning and Public Works.

“Putting your hand up is a big decision but, as a councillor, you will play an important role by being the voice of a community, raising the issues that affect residents in their local area.”

Mr Vidgen reminds Division 4 residents that they must vote in either the Ipswich City Council area or at the Brisbane City Hall polling place.

“This of course means they are voting in two elections – for Ipswich City Council’s Division 4 and the State election,” he said.

“When you enter a Division 4 polling place, you will receive two ballot papers. If you bring your maroon Voter Information Card it will streamline the process.

“All the details of the voting process will be on the ECQ website in coming weeks at ecq.qld.gov.au including locations of early voting centres and election day polling booths.

“Remember it’s compulsory to vote and if residents are unsure if they are enrolled correctly, this can be checked by visiting aec.gov.au.”

Information about mandatory councillor training is available from the Department of Housing, Local Government, Planning and Public Works website.

ENDS

Media contact: media@ecq.qld.gov.au 0438 120 699

Ipswich by-election announced for 26 October

17 September 2024

The by-election to elect a new councillor for Ipswich City Council will be held concurrently with the State election on 26 October.

Electoral Commissioner Pat Vidgen said the vacancy is the result of the resignation of Division 4 Councillor David Cullen.

“For Division 4 voters, this means they will be voting for a councillor on the same day they will be voting in the State election,” Mr Vidgen said.

“It’s essential that Division 4 voters are able cast their votes within the Ipswich local government area, and so every early voting centre and election day polling booth within the Ipswich City Council area will be able to issue ballot papers for the by-election.

“For added convenience, any Ipswich Division 4 voters will also be able to vote at Brisbane City Hall.

“Election officials will be able to identify Division 4 voters and provide them with separate ballot papers.”

Mr Vidgen said the Electoral Commission of Queensland (ECQ) will be communicating important information to the community in coming weeks.

“I urge voters to follow our social media platforms to ensure they are receiving important information and updates as the by-election progresses and polling booth information will be available on the ECQ website.

“To streamline the voting process, electors will be able to use their Voter Information Card for the State election which will speed up the roll mark-off.”

Nominations for the Division 4 position will open at 10am on Friday, 27 September 2024 and candidates are urged to go to the ECQ website to learn more about the nomination process.

Candidates who wish to nominate will need to complete the So you want to be a councillor training, available from the Department of Housing, Local Government, Planning and Public Works at www.ecq.qld.gov.au/candidatetraining. This training must be completed within six months of nominating for this election.

“There are several important steps which must be undertaken, so I urge anyone interested to do this as soon as possible.”

Mr Vidgen also reminded voters in Division 4 about the importance of checking they are correctly enrolled to vote.

“Voting is compulsory and it only takes a few minutes to enrol, update, or check your enrolment details, by visiting aec.gov.au.”

ENDS

Queensland State Election Service Plan launched

9 September 2024

The Electoral Commission of Queensland (ECQ) has launched its Service Plan for the State election on 26 October, providing a blueprint for how the election will run for the state’s 3.7 million voters.

Electoral Commissioner of Queensland, Pat Vidgen said the ECQ is committed to providing an election that meets the needs of electors, and which keeps pace with community expectations.

The Service Plan sets out how the ECQ will deliver the 2024 State election for all Queenslanders and provides details about key election milestones, voter services and post-election activities.

“Our focus is to continually refine and enhance our services, building on the learnings of past elections, including this year’s local government elections in March,” Mr Vidgen said

“We have undertaken a major operational review of the March elections and incorporated the lessons learned into planning and delivering for the 26 October election.

“Changes include extended early voting hours to match election day voting hours, an increase in election staff and vote issuing points in polling booths, to ensure the overall voting experience is streamlined and efficient.

“These measures are designed to improve the voting experience for electors.

“Voters will also be able to vote at any polling booth in Queensland, which is not the case under local government electoral legislation.”

Mr Vidgen said the ECQ has also further reflected on what makes a good election, and the needs of stakeholder groups, to enhance election delivery.

“We will continue to critically refine these principles into the future and keep them at the centre of our approach to election planning and delivery,” he said.

“Elections are complex events with a high level of expectation from the community, candidates, and parties, and the ECQ will make every effort to meet these expectations.

“Following the State election, a full report will be released, providing a transparent public account of our delivery model which will, once again, help plan for elections of the future.”

The Service Plan is available on the ECQ website here.

August

Applications open for thousands of Queensland election jobs

12 August 2024

Applications have opened for nearly 15,000 casual election staff roles needed to deliver the State general election on 26 October.

Temporary workers play a critical part on the front-line during elections, helping millions of Queenslanders to have their say about who they want to represent them in state government.

The thousands of casual roles on offer will cover work before, on, or after election day.

Electoral Commissioner Pat Vidgen said applications are welcome from Queenslanders from all backgrounds and in all parts of the state.

“There will be many more roles to fill at this election at our early voting centres and polling booths across Queensland, as we increase the size of our state-wide team,” he said.

“We’re recruiting now, so if you’re interested in helping to deliver democracy on the ground and help people to have their say, one of these roles might be a great fit for you.

“Early voting for the State election will be extended, running from 8am-6pm on weekdays for two weeks before election day on 26 October, so extra staff are needed to ensure voters get the assistance they need.

“You’ll be paid for your work with us, have the opportunity to meet new people and learn new skills, all while getting the chance to see democracy in action.”

Mr Vidgen said prospective applicants should visit the ECQ website to read more about what’s involved, including eligibility and political neutrality requirements.

“Electoral integrity is something we take extremely seriously, so it’s important that our election officials reflect our principles of fairness, integrity and transparency.”

Interested Queenslanders can learn more about working at the elections on the ECQ website, which provides a position description and pay rates along with details about how to apply.

For details go to: https://www.ecq.qld.gov.au/elections/working-at-an-election

ENDS

July

ECQ welcomes findings of independent external review into the 2024 local government elections

Tuesday, 23 July 2024

The Electoral Commission of Queensland (ECQ) has accepted the findings of an independent external review and report on election day issues during the 2024 local government elections.

The report on the review, which was delivered by Nous Group, has now been publicly released, with the ECQ committed to implementing the recommendations in full.

Electoral Commissioner Pat Vidgen says the report highlights a range of findings, including the impact of forecasting data on service delivery and shifting voter behaviour, which saw Queensland electors return to election day voting as a preference for the first time in seven years.

“The delivery of electoral services relies on forecasting to determine when, where and how people are likely to vote during an election,” he said.

“For some time now, we’ve seen electors embracing early voting at elections in Queensland as a way of having their say at the time that suits them best – and this certainly accelerated during the pandemic.

“For these elections, we saw around 45 per cent of all votes cast on election day which was a significant departure from the 35 per cent turnout we had anticipated – a figure based on trend data and modelling of voter behaviour in recent elections, both here and in other states.

“We know this shift in voter behaviour placed additional pressure on our people and our resources on election day, particularly in more populous parts of Queensland – and subsequently impacted on the voting experience for some electors.

Mr Vidgen also said while the report provided insights and recommendations to improve performance, it also highlighted a range of success markers, including in relation to engagement, turnout and informality rates.

“What is particularly pleasing is that more Queenslanders knew about the elections and cast a formal vote at this event, than we saw in 2020.

“Overall, turnout was strong, and increased by almost 5 per cent on 2020 which tells us that Queenslanders were aware that the elections were on and that they needed to vote. We also saw the vote formality rate improve for both mayoral and councillor ballot papers, driving an overall formality rate of 96 per cent.”

In addition to helping enhance future service delivery, Mr Vidgen says the report will help improve understanding about the operational complexity of local government elections in Queensland.

“Voting in a local government election is quite different to voting in other elections such as a State general election,” he said.

“The local government elections in March involved the delivery of 343 separate electoral contests to elect 578 mayors and councillors across Queensland’s 77 local government areas. Different voting systems for mayoral, undivided and divided councillor positions were required to be used, which meant the issuing and counting of two separate ballot papers for each elector.

“By contrast, the October State general election will see just 93 electoral contests conducted, with electors only required to fill out one ballot paper, using the one voting system. They can also vote anywhere in Queensland, including outside of their electorate.

“The measures outlined in the report’s recommendations will be in place for the upcoming Queensland State general election on October 26 and we’re looking forward to welcoming Queenslanders back to our polling places then.”

Voters are encouraged to plan ahead for the State general election to ensure they are aware of the full range of voting options available to them.

This includes applying for a postal vote when applications open if you know you’ll be away from Queensland during the election and taking advantage of extended early voting times which will be from 8am-6pm on weekdays throughout the two weeks of early voting before election day.

The Review of Election Day Issues at the 2024 Local Government Elections Report and the ECQ’s response can be viewed here.

ENDS

Local government elections expenditure tops $10 million

17 July 2024

The Electoral Commission of Queensland (ECQ) has revealed more than $10 million was spent by candidates, political parties and third parties during the local government elections on 16 March.

Electoral Commissioner Pat Vidgen said while most candidates have now submitted their election summary returns, there are still around 100 outstanding.

“Disclosure of gifts and money spent during the election period provides transparency and ensures the integrity of the election process,” Mr Vidgen said.

“The election summary return shows all electoral expenditure incurred for an election and is required, under the Local Government Electoral Act 2011, to be returned within 15 weeks of an election being held.”

Local government areas with the highest electoral expenditure were:

  • Brisbane City Council – $4,350,444.58
  • Gold Coast City Council – $590,757.42
  • Sunshine Coast Regional Council – $525,782.93
  • Mackay Regional Council - $515,793.33
  • Logan City Council – $455,383.15

Mr Vidgen said lodging an election summary return is a requirement for all candidates.

“It’s important to note that even if a candidate hasn’t incurred any electoral expenditure or received any gifts or loans that the return must still be lodged,” he said.

“It’s great to see that all elected candidates have complied with this obligation.”

The ECQ issued nearly 100 fines to candidates for failing to lodge an election summary return following the 2020 local government elections.

Full breakdowns* of expenditure and gifts and donation by local government area are below.

Council

Electoral Expenditure

Donations

Balonne

$2,478.53

 

Banana

$3,932.59

$1,292

Barcaldine

$21,739.40

$550

Barcoo

$216.04

 

Blackall-Tambo

$5,922.23

$895

Boulia

$250

 

Brisbane*

$4,350,444.58

$19,211.99

Brisbane City (Central)

$2,200.00

 

Brisbane City (McDowall)

$1,010.94

 

Brisbane City (Tennyson)

$27,617.07

 

Brisbane City (Wynnum-Manly)

$8,133.25

 

Brisbane City (Pullenvale)

$2,879.85

 

Bulloo

$449.20

 

Bundaberg

$181,700.68

$27,656.23

Burdekin

$58,476.05

$16,012.26

Burke

$77.90

 

Cairns

$365,583.79

$91,009.49

Carpentaria

$6,125.03

$368.15

Cassowary Coast

$15,936.65

 

Central Highlands

$49,844.14

$11,124.65

Charters Towers

$46,352.25

$13,730.60

Cherbourg

$1,830.00

$1,600

Cloncurry

$7,229.68

 

Cook

$13,834.41

$650

Croydon

$1,438.50

 

Douglas

$21,679.76

$7,715

Etheridge

$1,963.22

$200

Flinders

$19,556.60

$550

Fraser Coast

$140,056.51

$20,479.58

Gladstone

$91,206.19

$38,116.87

Gold Coast

$590,757.42

$268,610.90

Goondiwindi

$36,872.27

$5,823.60

Gympie

$64,372.12

$13,288.60

Hinchinbrook

$5,882.58

$442.50

Hope Vale

$480.00

 

Ipswich

$411,514.38

$55,845.46

Isaac

$18,823.59

$13,250

Livingstone

$110,923.36

$62,821.24

Lockyer Valley

$64,679.09

$10,709.23

Logan

$455,383.15

$328,533.04

Longreach

$16,176.51

$3,260

Mackay

$515,793.33

$217,177.60

Maranoa

$84,245.20

$864

Mareeba

$40,332.22

$922.40

McKinlay

$1,198.90

$335

Moreton Bay

$207,958.10

$51,967.22

Mount Isa

$87,401.11

$37,890

Murweh

$13,684.70

 

Noosa

$246,241.93

$75,775.41

North Burnett

$22,916.78

$5,890

Northern Peninsula Area

$4,077.48

$250

Palm Island

$7,167.49

$2,280

Paroo

$9,474.64

 

Pormpuraaw

$170

 

Quilpie

$2,367.84

$534

Redland

$325,060.35

$86,620

Richmond

$1,941.00

 

Rockhampton

$25,898.32

$4,013

Scenic Rim

$98,755.90

$6,990

Somerset

$94,695.94

$5,643

South Burnett

$108,128.48

$14,039.85

Southern Downs

$102,600.00

$14,649.47

Sunshine Coast

$525,782.93

$349,619.40

Tablelands

$34,860.17

$8,697.88

Toowoomba

$176,855.04

$38,028.50

Torres

$6,549.81

$450

Torres Strait Island

$26,797.60

$28,640.95

Townsville

$331,648.04

$272,689.54

Western Downs

$41,790.74

$9,836.18

Whitsunday

$84,170.22

$60,683.74

Winton

$2,815.90

 

Woorabinda

$363.50

$50

Yarrabah

$4,484.25

$1,033

*Expenditure total for Brisbane City includes political party expenditure, but donation total for Brisbane City only includes independent candidates. Registered political parties are not required to differentiate between donations specifically for local elections and other purposes. All data is accurate as at time of publishing and is subject to change.

ENDS

Media contact: media@ecq.qld.gov.au 0438 120 699 | General enquiries 1300 881 665.

Bundaberg Regional Council Division 8 election result stands

12 July 2024

The Electoral Commission of Queensland (ECQ) has successfully defended claims raised in relation to the outcome of the Bundaberg Regional Council’s Division 8 election in March at the Court of Disputed Returns.

The election was decided in a close contest, by one vote.

Following the court’s decision, the original declared outcome, as published on the ECQ website on Tuesday 2 April, will stand.

The court’s decision was on the grounds that any inconvenience that may have been caused to electors by long wait times at the Division 8 booths on election day did not detract from their opportunity to vote and therefore, did not justify a new election being ordered. The court also noted that fulfilling the legal obligation to vote necessarily involves a degree of inconvenience.

The ECQ always attempts to minimise inconvenience to electors by making different voting services available over multiple days of an early voting period as well as on election day. Nevertheless, the ECQ acknowledges that some electors were inconvenienced on election day during the 2024 local government elections but that electors who presented at a polling booth on election day, were provided an opportunity to cast their vote.

ENDS

June

Mornington Shire Council by-election declared

18 June 2024

The Electoral Commission of Queensland (ECQ) has declared Jane Ah Kit as the successful candidate for the Mornington Shire Council by-election held on Saturday, June 15.

Electoral Commissioner Pat Vidgen said Ms Ah Kit received over 45 per cent of the votes, with Roxanne Thomas receiving around 33 per cent and Helen Moon around 22 per cent.

“This has made the outcome certain, as the small number of outstanding postal votes cannot change the result,” Mr Vidgen said.

“While the outcome in this by-election is clear, any electors who have applied for a postal vote, will still need to return these by 5pm on 25 June to ensure they are added to the votes received by the relevant candidate.

Mr Vidgen said 99 percent of the ballots cast by electors were formal or valid, which was a pleasing result, but that the low voter turnout was disappointing.

“Of the 769 enrolled electors in Mornington Shire, only around 38 per cent voted in the by-election,” he said.

The by-election was called to replace councillor Tali Tabuai who resigned on 17 April 2024.

The Mornington Shire Council by-election information, including the results, is available on the ECQ website.

ENDS

Media contact: media@ecq.qld.gov.au 0438 120 699 | General enquiries 1300 881 665

Count begins for Mornington Shire by-election

15 June 2024

Polls have closed and the count is underway to determine the next councillor for the Mornington Shire Council.

The Electoral Commission of Queensland (ECQ) said staff were counting the votes taken today, election day, during early voting, and postal votes that had been returned so far.

Electoral Commissioner Pat Vidgen said despite it being a small community of 769 electors, it could be a couple of days before the outcome is known.

“I’d like to thank all residents who came out and voted today and those who took advantage of early voting on Thursday and Friday of this week,” he said.

“The timing of the result will depend on how close the contest is and how quickly postal votes are returned.

“Postal votes can be returned up to ten days after polling day, but we encourage any electors who have opted to vote by post to return their ballot paper as soon as possible.”

The by-election was called to replace councillor Tali Tabuai who resigned on 17 April 2024.

Keep up-to-date with the Mornington Shire Council by-election results on the ECQ website.

ENDS

Early voting opening for the Mornington Shire by-election

12 June 2024

Early voting will be open over the next two days for people enrolled in the Mornington Shire Council to elect a new councillor.

Queensland Electoral Commissioner Pat Vidgen said early voting times have been extended to make it easier for people to cast their vote before election day on Saturday, 15 June.

“Early voting will be available on Thursday 13 June and Friday 14 June from 8am to 6pm at the PCYC on Lardil Street, Gununa,” Mr Vidgen said.

“Election day voting will also be at this location on Saturday 15 June, and again residents can vote from 8am until 6pm.

“Now is the time to make sure you’re thinking about when you’re going to vote so you can have your say about who you want to represent you on council.

“While there are three candidates contesting this by-election, you need to make sure you mark at least one of the boxes alongside the candidate of your choice on your ballot paper to ensure your vote counts. “

The candidates in ballot paper order are:

Roxanne THOMAS
Jane AH KIT
Helen MOON

Mr Vidgen also reminds voters who applied for a postal vote before the cut-off date on 3 June that they will need to complete their vote by 6pm on Saturday 15 June and get it back to the ECQ by 5pm on Tuesday, 25 June for it to be included in the count.

Voting is compulsory in Queensland elections and failure to vote fines are $154.80 as at 1 July 2023.

Find more information on the Mornington Shire Council by-election page on the ECQ website.

Media enquiries: media@ecq.qld.gov.au 0438 120 699. General enquiries: 1300 881 665.

May

Candidates announced for Mornington Shire Council by-election

27 May 2024

Three candidates are in the running to be the next councillor for the Mornington Shire Council.

The Electoral Commission of Queensland (ECQ) said there had been a positive response from the community following the close of nominations at noon today.

The candidates in ballot paper order are:
Roxanne THOMAS
Jane AH KIT
Helen MOON

Electoral Commissioner Pat Vidgen said it was good to see a keen contest for this important role in the community.

“Now that electors know who is running in the 15 June by-election, they can start to decide who they want as their new councillor.

“Electors have the opportunity to vote early, on Thursday 13 June and Friday 14 June and also on polling day, Saturday 15 June.

“It’s important to note that early voting times have been extended and will be from 8am until 6pm, the same as on election day.”

“I encourage all Mornington Shire residents on the electoral roll to make sure they have their say.”

Mr Vidgen reminded the 783 enrolled voters in Mornington Shire that voting is compulsory and failure to vote fines are $154.80.

The by-election became necessary following the resignation of Councillor Tali Tabuai on April 17 this year.

Under the Local Government Act 2009, councils may choose whether to conduct a by-election, or appoint a runner-up to a councillor’s position, should it become vacant within 12 months of a local government election.

Keep up-to-date with the Mornington Shire Council by-election on the ECQ website.

Media enquiries: media@ecq.qld.gov.au 0438 120 699. General enquiries: 1300 881 665.

Mornington by-election called for 15 June 2024

17 May 2024

A by-election will be held to elect a new councillor to the Mornington Shire Council on Saturday, 15 June 2024.

The Electoral Commission of Queensland (ECQ) confirmed the date and Electoral Commissioner Pat Vidgen said nominations for the new councillor position were now open for anyone wanting to represent their community.

“Nominations close at noon on Monday 27 May 2024 and there are several important steps which must be undertaken, so I urge anyone interested to do this as soon as possible,” Mr Vidgen said.

Potential candidates must make sure they are eligible to nominate, pay a deposit of $250, open a dedicated campaign bank account and complete the free mandatory online training through the Department of Housing, Local Government, Planning and Public Works.

All the information is on the Local government election participants page of the ECQ’s website.

Mr Vidgen also reminded Mornington residents about the importance of checking they are correctly enrolled to vote.

“If you have changed your address or are enrolling for the first time you must do this by Thursday 23 May to vote in this by-election,” Mr Vidgen said.

“This is an important step to ensure your voice will be heard on election day.”

To enrol to vote, check your enrolment or update your details, go to the Australian Electoral Commission’s website.

This by-election was called following the resignation of Councillor Tali Tabuai on 17 April 2024.

Keep up to date with the Mornington Shire Council by-election on the ECQ website or by phoning 1300 881 665.

ENDS

Election timetable:

  • Notice of Election – Friday 17 May
  • Postal vote applications close – 7pm, Monday 3 June
  • Close of roll – 5pm, Thursday 23 May
  • Close of nominations – noon, Monday 27 May
  • Early voting – Thursday 13 June and Friday 14 June (voting between 8am-6pm)
  • Election day – Saturday 15 June (voting between 8am-6pm)

Media contact: media@ecq.qld.gov.au 0438 120 699 | General enquiries 1300 881 665.

March

Queenslanders thanked for their patience during local government elections

18 March 2024

The Electoral Commission of Queensland has acknowledged the wait times experienced by some Queensland electors and thanked them for their patience, following a busy election day.

With around 3.5 million Queenslanders eligible to vote in these elections, the ECQ had expected queues in some places across the state on election day, following the close of early voting at 6pm on Friday 15 March.

In preparation for this, the ECQ confirms that resourcing was bolstered in a number of areas across the state, ahead of election day.

Electoral Commissioner of Queensland Pat Vidgen said while election day queues aren’t uncommon, a number of factors, including a lower than expected early voting turnout, contributed to the longer queues seen on Saturday.

“Local government elections are very complex to deliver, and the requirement for electors to vote in their local government area presents particular operational challenges.

“With absentee voting not available, we understand that the high volume of Queenslanders presenting at polling booths outside of their council areas or divisions, compounded wait times.

“We acknowledge that there were long queues in some places as a result of this, which was regrettable,” he said.

Over 45 per cent of electors who voted chose election day to cast their vote, with more than 1.2 million votes taken on election day itself, across 1,000 polling booths state-wide.

“Our election staff team of around 7,000 worked diligently to get people through as quickly as possible and we are very appreciative of their work, and very thankful for Queenslanders who treated our staff with patience and courtesy.

“The evaluation we do following an election event is comprehensive and we’ll certainly be looking at the data and areas such as resourcing as part of our evaluation of this event.

“The cost per elector to deliver these elections is almost half that for other jurisdictions, so any increases in resourcing will impact on these costs as well, which is all something that will need to be considered moving forward, particularly as local government elections are conducted on a cost recovery basis.”

We will be using the data available to us, including the observations provided by the independent election auditors that have been working across the state, and analysing the trends we are seeing like changing voter behaviour to help us prepare for the State general election in October.

“While many electors took advantage of the five-week window to apply for a postal vote and to vote early, before election day, in these elections it appears there was a shift back toward election day voting, and further analysis will be conducted to see if that trend is relevant to planning for the state election.”

Mr Vidgen said that the ECQ made every effort to ensure electors who presented at a polling place before 6pm and wanted to cast a vote was able to cast their vote.

“Where ballot papers were depleted in some locations, these were replenished by the ECQ’s team of Returning Officers as quickly as possible.

“This does happen from time to time in elections and anyone who remained in those polling places which were being re-supplied, received their ballot papers and were able to cast their votes.

The ECQ is focussed on completing the counting of the votes for the 578 mayoral and councillor contests across the state and declaring those positions over the coming days and weeks.

You can view the results which are being progressively updated, on the ECQ website.

ENDS

Torres Strait residents get extra time to vote

15 March 2024

The Electoral Commission of Queensland has moved to ensure residents living in the outer islands of the Torres Strait can have a say on who will represent them in council, after poor weather conditions hampered mobile polling.

Electoral Commissioner of Queensland, Pat Vidgen said the time to vote will be extended by a week.

“With severe weather conditions making mobile polling difficult in the Torres Strait Island Regional Council area, we have made the call to continue to take votes until Saturday, 23 March,” he said.

“Mobile polling schedules are a finely tuned operation with staff flying into the islands, and often 3 or 4 islands are visited per day for a few hours during the election period.”

This year, the mobile polling for residents living in the Torres Strait Island Regional Council (TSIRC) area has been challenging due to poor weather, making flights in and out impossible.

“It is important that all Queenslanders can vote — it’s their democratic right.

“We also want to remind Torres Strait residents who have chosen to postal vote to return their vote as soon as possible. However, they will now be able to complete their votes up until 6pm on Saturday, 23 March, and return them to the ECQ by close of business on Tuesday, 2 April 2024,” he said.

Telephone voting will only be available until this Saturday, 16 March, with registrations for this service closing at noon and voting until 6pm.

Impacted islands that will have rescheduled mobile polling are:

  • Iama (Yam)
  • Poruma (Coconut)
  • Masig (Yorke)
  • Ugar (Stephen)
  • Mer (Murray)

Keep checking our website for new mobile polling dates and visiting hours.

The ECQ will continue to work in partnership with the Torres Strait Island Regional Council to keep electors informed about additional mobile polling in their communities.

Visit the ECQ website to stay up-to-date with the local government elections and to learn more about how local elections work.

ENDS

Last days to vote early before election day

14 March 2024

More than one million Queenslanders have already chosen to vote early in the local government elections, with two days to go until election day on Saturday 16 March.

Electoral Commissioner Pat Vidgen says the turnout reflects Queenslanders’ increasing preference for voting early, and when it is convenient for them.

“We understand that life is busy and that remembering to vote can be difficult for people, particularly if they are working on election day.

“Early voting offers flexibility for electors and helps reduce the numbers we have seen in the past on election day, ensuring electors can get in and out more quickly and can get on with their weekends.

“We have around 160 early voting centres operating state-wide, so if you’re keen to vote before Saturday, you can head to our website, enter your address into our ‘find my polling booth’ feature and find the nearest location to you.

“Another great way to ensure you’re getting in and out more quickly is to bring along the maroon Voter Information card you received from us in the mail, or the electronic version you received if you have added your email address to the electoral roll.”

Mr Vidgen reminded Queenslanders that voting in these elections is compulsory and that the penalty of failing to vote is $154.80, which is the value of one penalty unit, as at 1 July 2023.

“We’d much rather be handing you a ballot paper than a fine, so I encourage all Queensland electors to plan now for when they’ll cast their vote – whether that’s today or perhaps tomorrow after work or on Saturday itself.”

Early voting will be open until 5pm today, Thursday 14 March and from 9am until 6pm on Friday 15 March.

Electors need to vote in their local government area at these elections and are urged to visit the ECQ website to find their nearest polling booth.

Brisbane City Hall is the exception and will offer voting services for electors in Brisbane City Council, Ipswich City Council, Logan City Council, Gold Coast City Council, Sunshine Coast Regional Council, Moreton Bay City Council and Redland City Council during the early voting period and on election day.

Election day voting will be available from 8am to 6pm at more than 1,000 booths state-wide.

Queensland electors will also receive an SMS reminder to vote by 6pm this year, and this will go out to anyone who has added their mobile number to the electoral roll.

Visit the ECQ website to stay up-to-date with the local government elections and learn more about how local elections work.

ENDS-->

Early voting centres open today for millions of Queenslanders

4 March 2024

Doors opened at 9am this morning at early voting centres across Queensland, as voting got underway for the 2024 local government elections.

About 45 per cent of Queenslanders are expected to vote early at around 170 early voting centres state-wide.

Early voting is available to all electors and will run through to Friday, 15 March.

Electoral Commissioner Pat Vidgen says ECQ staff have been working throughout the past few weeks, including over the weekend to make the final arrangements.

“Our team of Returning Officers right across Queensland have done a great job of making sure we’re ready to go,” Mr Vidgen said.

“Over the past couple of weeks, around 7 million ballot papers have been printed and despatched to all corners of the state and teams have been busy testing equipment, assembling voting screens and ballot boxes and preparing to welcome electors through the doors.

“We know that early voting continues to be a popular option for Queensland electors, with almost half of electors choosing this option during the last local government elections in 2020.

“A great way to ensure you’re in and out of the polling booth quickly is to bring along the Voter Information Card that you have either already received or will receive this week in the mail, when you come to vote.

“That’s the big maroon card that is unique to you – simply bring it in, show it to our staff when you arrive and you’ll be marked off the electoral roll quickly.

“If your email address is on the electoral roll, you will also receive an electronic version of this which you can use in the same way.”

“If you forget to bring your card along, that’s ok – you can still vote without it.”

Early voting times and dates will vary between council areas, so the ECQ encourages Queenslanders to check these details on the ECQ website before they head out to vote.

“Remember, you must vote in your local government area in these elections. For voters in councils with divisions or wards, that means you can vote at any early voting centre or polling booth on election day even if it’s outside your division, just as long as it’s within your council area.”

Visit the ECQ website to stay up-to-date with the local government elections and to learn more about how local elections work.

ENDS

Media enquiries: email media@ecq.qld.gov.au or phone 0438 120 699

Last days to apply to the ECQ for a postal vote

1 March 2024

Postal vote applications for the 2024 local government elections will close at 7pm on Monday 4 March.

Already, more than 290,000 Queenslanders have lodged postal vote applications and with time running out, electors who are considering applying should do so directly, via the ECQ website.

Electoral Commissioner Pat Vidgen says applying directly is the best way to ensure voting materials will arrive on time.

“This is the most secure and direct way to apply as you’re not relying on any third parties to get your application to us and you’re reducing the risk that it will be delayed.

“Applying for a postal vote is quick and easy to do on our website and while you are there, you’ll find useful information about postal voting and how it works, including a short video.

“Postal voting materials were printed following the close of nominations on 13 February and after the ballot paper order draw for each local government area had been conducted on 14 February.

“Since then, we’ve been progressively lodging materials with Australia Post for distribution as applications are processed, so if you’ve already applied for a postal vote, you should be receiving your materials in the mail.

“As soon as you receive your materials you can complete your vote and we encourage you to get it into the post back to us as quickly as you can.”

Queenslanders who are listed as special postal voters or whose council area is conducting a full postal ballot, will automatically receive a postal vote in the mail.

Inala or Ipswich West electors who apply for a postal vote will automatically receive voting materials for both the by-election and the local government elections.

Visit the ECQ website to stay up-to-date with the local government elections and to learn more about how local elections work.

ENDS

Media enquiries: email media@ecq.qld.gov.au or phone 0438 120 699

February

Electoral expenditure disclosures top $5 million, eclipsing 2020 – see the breakdown for each council

29 February 2024

The ECQ has reached new milestones for electoral expenditure disclosures and donations, eclipsing amounts that had been received in 2020 by the same time in the election period.

More than $5.5 million in disclosed electoral expenditure and $1.5 million in donations have been registered to date.

Electoral Commissioner Pat Vidgen says Queensland’s funding and disclosure regulations are among the most comprehensive nationally and include real-time disclosure obligations for local government election candidates.

“Queenslanders rightly expect their local government candidates to be honest and transparent when it comes to what they’re spending in the lead up to the 16 March poll and the volume of disclosures registered so far reflects this.”

Below is the breakdown of expenditure and donations reported to the ECQ per council area, as at 27 February 2024*.

Council

Electoral Expenditure

Donations

Balonne

$154.98

 

Barcaldine

$10,357.40

 

Blackall-Tambo

$506.14

$450

Boulia

$250

 

Brisbane

$2,271,571.79

$501

Bundaberg

$118,150.80

$9,705.69

Burdekin

$26,285.10

$3,675.31

Cairns

$256,411.15

$81,893.55

Carpentaria

$1,112.19

$50

Cassowary Coast

$954.40

 

Central Highlands

$7,402.03

$2,199

Charters Towers

$14,076.29

$10,809

Cloncurry

$2,817.27

 

Cook

$1,784.55

 

Douglas

$8,775.40

$2,892

Etheridge

$707.44

 

Flinders

$250

$50

Fraser Coast

$97,670.59

$11,243.58

Gladstone

$56,642.75

$30,658.07

Gold Coast

$303,255.72

$179,371.57

Goondiwindi

$17,673.26

$5,394

Gympie

$15,868.60

$880

Hinchinbrook

$830

 

Ipswich

$251,236.43

$29,229

Isaac

$13,317.70

$12,500

Livingstone

$28,404.06

$30,603.42

Lockyer Valley

$29,124.81

$3,150

Logan

$282,511.83

$260,965.50

Longreach

$7,854.84

$1,000

Mackay

$217,063.23

$140,016

Maranoa

$39,502.78

$864

Mareeba

$21,333.52

 

Moreton Bay

$124,187.67

$43,383.50

Mount Isa

$47,831.65

$20,500

Murweh

$6,857.42

 

Noosa

$165,381.82

$65,341.75

North Burnett

$12,591.19

$2,720

Paroo

$898

 

Quilpie

$1,145

 

Redland

$194,654.63

$55,549

Rockhampton

$14,348.59

$3,193

Scenic Rim

$63,645.87

$3,440

Somerset

$45,293.04

$3,718

South Burnett

$68,384.60

$860

Southern Downs

$43,118.64

$4,935.70

Sunshine Coast

$306,771.96

$227,075.16

Tablelands

$15,574.63

$3,100

Toowoomba

$77,987.16

$14,583.37

Torres Strait Island

$15,818.88

$14,500

Townsville

$180,245

$242,476.16

Western Downs

$24,866.16

$8,505

Whitsunday

$10,436.93

$20,823.15

Winton

$1,243

 

Yarrabah

$495

 

Mr Vidgen said it should be noted that most of the donations received in the Brisbane City Council will be via registered political parties.

“Under the regulations, political parties are not required to distinguish which donations are local government election-specific donations,” he explained.

New caps on local government electoral spending took effect from 14 August 2023 and the capped expenditure period for the local government elections will apply until 6pm on election day on 16 March 2024.

Electoral expenditure disclosures are publicly available and can be viewed via the ECQ’s Electronic Disclosure System (EDS). For tips on how to navigate the system, head to the ECQ website.

*NOTE: disclosure data is subject to change and is only accurate at the time of the issue of this media release. Disclosure data may include amounts of over-disclosure, such as declarations of self-funding. Council areas not listed have not received any disclosure data.

ENDS

Media enquiries: email media@ecq.qld.gov.au or phone 0438 120 699

Early voting open from Monday for millions of Queenslanders

27 February 2024

Most Queensland electors will be able to head to the polls from Monday to cast their votes early for the 2024 local government elections.

Early voting is available to all electors and commences in most local government areas from 9am on Monday and will run through to Friday, 15 March.

Electoral Commissioner Pat Vidgen says there will be early voting centres operating right across Queensland during the elections.

“We know that early voting continues to be a popular option for Queensland electors, with almost half of electors choosing this option during the last local government elections in 2020.

“There is no eligibility criteria for early voting and all electors can vote early if they choose.

“To cater for this preference, the ECQ will open 170 early voting centres from Monday to ensure Queenslanders can vote when it is convenient for them.

“A great way to ensure you’re in and out of the polling booth quickly is to bring along the Voter Information Card that you have either already received or will receive this week in the mail, when you come to vote.

“That’s the big maroon card that is unique to you – simply bring it in, show it to our staff when you arrive and you’ll be marked off the electoral roll quickly.

“If your email address is on the electoral roll, you will also receive an electronic version of this which you can use in the same way.”

“If you forget to bring your card along, that’s ok – you can still vote without it.”

Early voting times and dates will vary between council areas, so the ECQ encourages Queenslanders to check these details on the ECQ website before they head out to vote.

“Remember, you must vote in your local government area in these elections.”

Visit the ECQ website to stay up-to-date with the local government elections and to learn more about how local elections work.

ENDS

Media enquiries: email media@ecq.qld.gov.au or phone 0438 120 699

Notification of a disendorsed candidate

22 February 2024

The Electoral Commission of Queensland was notified of the disendorsement of an LNP candidate for the Brisbane City Council (Deagon ward) on Tuesday afternoon, 20 February 2024.

Notification of the withdrawal of endorsement is a requirement under the Local Government Electoral Act 2011.

The ECQ has advised that, as the disendorsement occurred after the close of nominations for the 2024 local government elections, the candidate’s nomination remains valid.

This means the candidate’s name will still appear on the ballot paper and the candidate’s nomination as an LNP candidate will remain published on the ECQ website, in compliance with the Local Government Electoral Act 2011.

The disendorsement by a registered political party also means that expenditure caps must be recalculated, and the ECQ has advised both the candidate and the party about this.

The notice regarding the withdrawal of endorsement can be viewed on the ECQ website.

ENDS

Media enquiries: email media@ecq.qld.gov.au or phone 0438 120 699

No need to vote for 140,000 Moreton Bay City Council electors

21 February 2024

Local government election day in Moreton Bay City Council will look a little different in 2024, with electors in five divisional areas not required to vote.

At the close of nominations on 13 February, the council’s mayor was unopposed, along with councillors in divisions 1, 4, 7, 9 and 11.

State-wide, a total of 15 mayoral positions and 46 councillor positions were uncontested, with the Moreton Bay City Council the most populous locality impacted.

Electoral Commissioner Pat Vidgen said as a result, electors in those divisional areas of Moreton Bay City Council along with some divisions in Banana Shire Council and Isaac Regional Council, will not be required to vote at all in these elections.

“There are a significant number of Moreton Bay City Council electors who won’t need to vote for mayor or councillor,” Mr Vidgen said.

“Of the Council’s 345,350 electors, there will be just under 140,000 who won’t need to vote – that’s 40.5% of the total number of electors.

“Our priority at the moment is making sure electors in Moreton Bay understand the situation ahead of the voting period kicking off on 4 March.

“It’s important for those electors in the remaining divisions of Moreton Bay City Council to be aware that they still need to vote for their councillor, and that voting is compulsory in local government elections.

“If electors don’t know which divisional area they are in, now’s the time for them to head to our website to look this up so they know whether they need to vote in these elections.”

Mr Vidgen said the situation has created a number of flow-on effects for Moreton Bay City which is Queensland’s third largest council.

“Firstly, we won’t need to open polling booths in those five divisional areas, so have made the decision to close 25 booths that would have catered to electors in those divisions, along with one early voting centre at Bongaree.

“Unfortunately, it also means that we don’t require as many temporary election staff and have had to undertake the difficult task of informing around 148 people who had been already hired for this event about this.

“Over the next week or so we will be looking at how we can re-deploy those staff in other areas.”

The ECQ will be undertaking a range of awareness activities in the lead-up to election day to communicate information to electors about the changes, including via the website and through email, SMS, local advertising and engagement activities.

The local government elections will be held on Saturday 16 March 2024. Head to the ECQ website to stay up-to-date.

ENDS

Media enquiries: email media@ecq.qld.gov.au or phone 0438 120 699

1,422 candidates to contest the 2024 local government elections

15 February 2024

1,422 Queenslanders across the state have nominated for the 2024 local government elections to run for mayor or councillor positions in their local communities.

The ballot paper order draws were undertaken following the close of nominations at noon on Tuesday, 13 February.

15 mayoral positions and 46 councillor positions across the state were uncontested.

Electoral Commissioner Pat Vidgen said as a result, electors in some divisional areas of Moreton Bay City Council, Banana Shire Council and Isaac Regional Council, will not be required to vote in these elections.

“Now that the nominations have closed, we have identified those divisions where electors won’t be required to vote for mayor or councillor.”

“All of the candidates in ballot paper order are now published on the ECQ website, so if you’re interested in seeing who is running in your area or whether your councillor or mayor will be returned unopposed, you can head to our website to take a look.”

Mr Vidgen said the number of Queenslanders who have put up their hands to represent their local communities was a strong reflection of the strength of democracy at the local government level.

“Councils make important decisions that affect the everyday lives of Queenslanders, so it is pleasing to see so many people wanting to participate at this level.

“There will be around 3.65 million electors heading to the polls to vote local in 77 local government areas, starting from 4 March when early voting kicks off, through to election day on 16 March.

“With more than 150 Returning Officers and Assistant Returning Officers recruited, trained and ready to deliver a positive voting experience for electors right across the State, we’re looking forward to a seamless event next month.

“We’ve also employed Returning Officers for the Inala and Ipswich West by-elections.

“Local government elections are logistically quite complex for us to deliver, and the ECQ team is continuing to work hard behind the scenes ahead of the opening of early voting.

“It’s a great time to plan ahead now for how you will cast your vote in the elections, remembering that you must vote in your local government area,” Mr Vidgen said.

“Electors can head to the ECQ website to find information about polling booth locations, including early voting centres and also check early voting times as these will vary across different local government areas.”

The local government elections will be held on Saturday 16 March 2024. Head to the ECQ website to stay up-to-date.

Uncontested mayoral positions

  • Balonne Shire Council
  • Banana Shire Council
  • Boulia Shire Council
  • Burke Shire Council
  • Diamantina Shire Council
  • Etheridge Shire Council
  • Gladstone Regional Council
  • Goondiwindi Regional Council
  • Hinchinbrook Shire Council
  • Isaac Regional Council
  • Longreach Regional Council
  • Mareeba Shire Council
  • Moreton Bay City Council
  • Murweh Shire Council
  • Richmond Shire Council

Uncontested councillor positions

  • Banana Shire Council, Divisions 3, 4 and 5
  • Cairns Regional Council, Division 1
  • Cassowary Coast Regional Council, Divisions 4, 5 and 6
  • Fraser Coast Regional Council, Division 3
  • Gold Coast City Council, Division 4
  • Isaac Regional Council, Divisions 4, 5, 7 and 8
  • Logan City Council, Divisions 6, 8, 9, 10 and 11
  • Moreton Bay City Council, Divisions 1, 4, 7, 9 and 11
  • North Burnett Regional Council, Division 3
  • Northern Peninsula Area Regional Council, Division 3
  • Redland City Council, Divisions 1 and 10
  • Rockhampton Regional Council, Divisions 1, 3, 5 and 6
  • Scenic Rim Regional Council, Division 3
  • South Burnett Regional Council, Division 3
  • Sunshine Coast Regional Council, Division 6
  • Tablelands Regional Council, Divisions 3 and 5
  • Torres Strait Island Regional Council, Divisions 2, 4, 11 and 13
  • Townsville City Council, Divisions 6 and 7
  • Whitsunday Regional Council, Divisions 1, 3, 4 and 5

ENDS

Media enquiries: email media@ecq.qld.gov.au or phone 0438 120 699

Candidates announced for Brisbane City Council Lord Mayor

14 February 2024

Six candidates have nominated to run for Brisbane City Council Lord Mayor at the 2024 local government elections.

The ballot paper order draw was undertaken in the offices of the Electoral Commission of Queensland following the close of nominations at noon on Tuesday, 13 February.

Candidates in ballot paper order are:

  • Bruce TANTI – Independent
  • Tracey PRICE – Australian Labor Party
  • Adrian SCHRINNER – LNP
  • Gilbert HOLMES – Independent
  • Clive BRAZIER – Legalise Cannabis Qld (Party)
  • Jonathan SRIRANGANATHAN – The Greens

Electoral Commissioner Pat Vidgen says that the number of candidates who have nominated reflects the strength of Queensland’s democracy.

“Councils make important decisions that affect the everyday lives of Queenslanders, so it is pleasing to see so many people wanting to put their hand up to run for Lord Mayor.

“There will be 845,749 Brisbane City Council area electors heading to the polls to vote for the Lord Mayor and councillors who will represent them, starting from 4 March when early voting kicks off, through to election day on 16 March.

“It’s a great time to plan ahead now for how you will cast your vote in the elections, remembering that you must vote in your local government area,” Mr Vidgen said.

“If you live in the State electorates of Inala and Ipswich West, you’ll also need to vote in a by-election to choose your new Member of Parliament when you come to vote.

Mr Vidgen reminded all electors that voting is compulsory and failure to vote may incur a fine.

Electors can head to the ECQ website to find information about polling booth locations, including early voting centres and also to check early voting times.

The local government elections and Inala and Ipswich West State by-elections will be held on Saturday, 16 March 2024.

ENDS

Media enquiries: email media@ecq.qld.gov.au or phone 0438 120 699

Candidates contesting the Inala and Ipswich West by-elections announced

13 February 2024

Candidates for the Inala and Ipswich West State by-elections have been announced following the ballot paper order draw which was undertaken today, Tuesday 13 February 2024.

The draw was conducted following the close of nominations at noon.

Candidates in ballot paper order for the State electorate of Inala are:

  • Linh NGUYEN (Independent)
  • Chris SIMPSON (Independent)
  • Margie NIGHTINGALE (Australian Labor Party)
  • Trang YEN (LNP)
  • Nigel David QUINLAN (Legalise Cannabis Qld (Party))
  • Nayda HERNANDEZ (Independent)
  • Navdeep Singh SIDHU (The Greens)
  • Edward CARROLL (Independent)

Candidates in ballot paper order for the State electorate of Ipswich West are:

  • Melody LINDSAY (Legalise Cannabis Qld (Party))
  • Darren ZANOW (LNP)
  • Mark Marston BONE (One Nation)
  • Wendy BOURNE (Australian Labor Party)

Electoral Commissioner Pat Vidgen said people in the two electorates will also need to cast their votes for the 2024 local government elections when they come to vote.

“When electors arrive to vote they will receive three ballot papers once they are marked off the roll – one for the Member of Parliament for the Inala or Ipswich West State electorate, and two for their relevant council mayor and councillor.

“It’s important to read the instructions carefully on each ballot paper as these elections will involve different voting systems,” he said.

“If you would like a postal vote, applications close at 7pm on 4 March 2024, noting that if you apply for a postal vote for the Inala or Ipswich West by-election you will also receive a postal vote for the local government elections.

Mr Vidgen reminded voters in the two electorates, that voting is compulsory and failure to vote may incur a fine.

“It’s a great time to plan ahead now for how you will cast your vote in the elections,” Mr Vidgen said.

Electors can head to the ECQ website to find information about polling booth locations and voting times and to learn more about how different types of elections work in Queensland.

The local government elections and Inala and Ipswich West by-elections will be held on Saturday 16 March 2024.

The Inala by-election was triggered by the resignation of former Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and the Ipswich West by-election by the resignation of Jim Madden.

ENDS

Media enquiries: email media@ecq.qld.gov.au or phone 0438 120 699

ECQ urges candidates to finalise nominations

7 February 2024

There’s just one week to go until nominations close for the 2024 local government elections.

While more than 500 people have nominated for the positions of mayor and councillor in each of Queensland’s 77 local government areas, with almost 200 more currently in progress, candidates have been urged to not leave it to the last minute.

Electoral Commissioner Pat Vidgen said now’s the time for candidates to get their nominations in.

“While we are seeing a steady flow of candidate nominations coming through, time is running out for people wanting to put their hand up,” he said.

“We’re publishing candidate details on our website as they are finalised so you’ll be able to see information about the number of candidates in your local area so far.

“We’re seeing plenty of nominations in council areas such as those in the south-east and our bigger regional centres but there are many other regional and remote areas including in western and far north Queensland where we are yet to see substantial nomination numbers coming through.”

“Prospective candidates have until noon on Tuesday 13 February to nominate, and while that date is fast approaching, there is still sufficient time for people to finalise their nominations and complete their mandatory training.

Prospective candidates can call the ECQ on 1300 881 665 if they intend to nominate and head to the ECQ website where they will find details about the tasks they need to complete to nominate for the elections.

The local government elections will be held across Queensland’s 77 local government areas on Saturday 16 March 2024. Head to the ECQ website to stay up-to-date.

ENDS

Media enquiries: email media@ecq.qld.gov.au or phone 0438 120 699

ECQ registers donation and electoral expenditure disclosure milestones ahead of 2024 local government elections

6 February 2024

The ECQ has reached new milestones for electoral expenditure disclosures and donations just weeks out from election day on March 16.

More than $3 million in disclosed electoral expenditure and $1 million in donations have been registered to date.

Electoral Commissioner Pat Vidgen says the significant amount of disclosures shows that candidates understand their responsibilities in this space.

“Queenslanders rightly expect their local government candidates to be honest and transparent when it comes to what they’re spending in the lead up to the 16 March poll and the volume of disclosures registered so far reflects this.”

As of 5 February 2024, the highest value electoral expenditure disclosures were in the following council areas*:

  • Brisbane - $1,559,407
  • Cairns - $170,929
  • Logan - $159,487
  • Gold Coast - $154,583
  • Townsville - $154,140

The highest value of donations (including self-funding, where disclosed) were in the following council areas:

  • Townsville - $236,091
  • Logan - $196,824
  • Sunshine Coast - $114,726
  • Gold Coast - $111,323
  • Mackay - $97, 961

Mr Vidgen said it should be noted that the donations listed above are exclusive of Brisbane City Council as most of the donations received in this council area will be via registered political parties.

“Under the regulations, political parties are not required to distinguish which donations are local government election-specific donations,” he explained.

Queensland’s funding and disclosure regulations are among the most comprehensive nationally and include real-time disclosure obligations for local government election candidates.

New caps on local government electoral spending took effect from 14 August 2023 and the capped expenditure period for the local government elections will apply until 6pm on election day on 16 March 2024.

Electoral expenditure disclosures are publicly available and can be viewed via the ECQ’s Electronic Disclosure System (EDS). For tips on how to navigate the system, head to the ECQ website.

*NOTE: disclosure data is subject to change and is only accurate at the time of the issue of this media release. Disclosure data may include amounts of over-disclosure, such as declarations of self-funding.

ENDS

Media enquiries: email media@ecq.qld.gov.au or phone 0438 120 699

Still plenty of time to nominate for the 2024 local government elections

2 February 2024

There’s still more than a week for Queenslanders to nominate for the 2024 local government elections.

Already, almost 200 candidates have nominated for the positions of mayor and councillor in each of Queensland’s 77 local government areas, since nominations opened on Monday 29 January.

Electoral Commissioner Pat Vidgen said that it’s pleasing to see so many people interested in representing their local communities and emphasised that there is still plenty of time to nominate.

“We have heard some reports that nominations for the elections have already closed, but this is not correct,” he said.

“Prospective candidates have until noon on Tuesday 13 February to nominate, and while that date is fast approaching, there is sufficient time for people to undertake all the necessary steps.

“However, I encourage anyone interested in standing for election to get their nominations in as soon as possible before the nomination deadline.”

The details of candidates who have nominated are being progressively added to the ECQ website as they are processed and finalised.

Prospective candidates can head to the ECQ website where they will find details about the tasks they need to complete to nominate for the elections. These include:

  • completing a mandatory online training course
  • ensuring they are enrolled in the division or ward they plan to contest
  • they have had at least six people enrolled within the same ward or district sign their nomination form
  • paying a nomination deposit of $250 to the ECQ by cash, EFT or bank cheque before nominations close
  • letting the ECQ know the details of the bank account they will be using for their campaign
  • disclosing things like political memberships or if they have any existing contractual relationships or planning applications before council (this includes their close associates)
  • making sure they are disclosing any money they spend on, or receive for,  their election.

Electoral expenditure disclosures are publicly available and can be viewed via the ECQ’s Electronic Disclosure System (EDS). For tips on how to navigate the system, head to the ECQ website.

The local government elections will be held across Queensland’s 77 local government areas on Saturday 16 March 2024. Head to the ECQ website to stay up-to-date.

ENDS

Just a few days left to make sure you’re enrolled to vote

2 February 2024

Queenslanders have only a few days left to check their enrolment is up-to-date or to enrol to vote for the 2024 local government elections and Inala and Ipswich West by-elections.

The electoral roll will close on 5 February 2024.

Electoral Commissioner Pat Vidgen is urging all Queenslanders to make sure they are enrolled to vote for the 16 March elections.

“Queenslanders will head to the polls in March to choose the mayors and councillors they want to represent them in their local communities, so I encourage everyone to make sure they are able to participate.

“If you’re not on the electoral roll, you can’t vote in the elections and you can’t have your say about who your local decision-makers are.

“Voting in our democracy is a right and responsibility for every Queensland citizen over the age of 18 and it’s important to note that you may be fined if you fail to vote in the elections.

Mr Vidgen said there might be a number of reasons why your details need to be updated, so it is good practice to check before an election to make sure your name and address are listed correctly.

“Moving house, leaving home for the first time or turning 18 are all changes and milestones that people experience in their busy lives and sometimes enrolling to vote or updating your details can be overlooked.

“It only takes a couple of minutes to check your details, so head to the AEC website at aec.gov.au before the roll closes on 5 February.”

Visit the ECQ website to stay up-to-date with the local government elections and to learn more about how local elections work.

ENDS

Media enquiries: email media@ecq.qld.gov.au or phone 0438 120 699

January

Inala and Ipswich West by-elections announced for 16 March 2024

30 January 2024

By-elections to elect a new Member of Parliament for the State electorates of Inala and Ipswich West will be held on Saturday, 16 March 2024, following the issue of the writs today.

These elections will be run concurrently with the local government elections which are being held on the same day.

Electoral Commissioner Pat Vidgen said nominations for the positions were now open and he encouraged anyone wanting to represent the Inala or Ipswich West communities to nominate before noon on Tuesday, 13 February 2024.

“There are several important steps which must be undertaken when nominating, so I urge anyone interested to do this as soon as possible,” Mr Vidgen said.

“The best place to start is to visit the ECQ website to learn more about nomination eligibility and any requirements or rules that apply.

“For around 39,000 electors in both electorates, this by-election also means that they will be voting for a new State MP on the same day they vote for their local mayor and councillor.

“We’ll be supporting electors in Inala and Ipswich West to make sure they’re aware of this requirement and will be communicating important information to the community over the coming weeks.

“If you live in the State electorate of Inala which includes the suburbs of Inala, Ellen Grove, Forest Lake, Doolandella, Durack, Wacol, Richlands and parts of Oxley, now is the time to make sure you’re correctly enrolled to vote.

“Likewise for Ipswich West residents who live in suburbs and towns including Amberley, Karalee, Marburg, Rosewood and northern parts of Ipswich City such as Brassall.

“Voting is compulsory and it only takes a few minutes to enrol, update, or check your enrolment, by visiting aec.gov.au.”

The Inala by-election was triggered by the resignation of former Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and the Ipswich West by-election by the resignation of Jim Madden.

Queenslanders can visit the ECQ website to stay up-to-date with the elections and to learn more about how different types of elections in Queensland work.

“There is a wealth of great resources on our website, including short videos on topics like postal voting and counting the votes which can help you understand more about the process,” Mr Vidgen said.

“I also encourage Inala and Ipswich West electors to like and follow our social media platforms to make sure they are receiving important information and updates as the election period progresses.

2024 Inala and Ipswich West by-elections timetable

  • 30 January – Issue of writ
  • 13 February – Candidate nominations close
  • 13 February – Ballot paper order draw
  • 4 March – Postal vote applications close
  • 4 March – Early voting commences
  • 16 March – Election Day
  • 26 March – Close of returns for postal votes

ENDS

Media enquiries: email media@ecq.qld.gov.au or phone 0438 120 699

ECQ launches ‘Vote Local’ campaign

30 January 2024

The Electoral Commission of Queensland has launched the 2024 Queensland local government elections advertising campaign – Vote Local.

Around 3.7 million Queenslanders will head to the polls on Saturday 16 March 2024 to vote for the mayors and councillors who will represent them in 77 local government areas throughout Queensland.

Electoral Commissioner Pat Vidgen said the ECQ’s campaign will run state-wide in the lead up to the elections and is aimed at connecting electors to the things that matter to them in their local communities.

“Voting in a local government election is about more than just wheelie bins and footpaths. It’s about having a say about the mayors and councillors that you want to represent you, in your local community,” he said.

From now until election day, Queenslanders will see the Vote Local campaign on television, radio, outdoor, online and social media channels.

Mr Vidgen also encouraged Queenslanders to engage with the resources available on the ECQ website to make sure they’re ready to vote in the elections.

“In addition to our advertisements, you can also view some of our animated videos which help explain the different ways to vote in Queensland and how things like postal voting and counting works.”

Head to the ECQ website to stay up-to-date with the local government elections. You can also like and follow the ECQ across the Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and X platforms.

ENDS

Media enquiries: email media@ecq.qld.gov.au or phone 0438 120 699

Local government elections period kicks off

29 January 2024

The 2024 local government elections are officially underway, following the publishing of the Notice of Election today.

Around 3.7 million Queenslanders will head to the polls on 16 March to have their say about the mayors and councillors they want to represent them in their local community for the next four years.

Residents in the State electorate of Inala will also vote for a new Member of Parliament during the poll, following the resignation of former Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk.

Electoral Commissioner Pat Vidgen said that the start of the election period means that Queenslanders should act now to enrol to vote or nominate to contest the elections.

“Voting in elections is one of the most important rights and responsibilities we share in our democracy, and if you’re not on the roll you can’t vote and if you don’t vote – you can’t have your say.”

“Now’s the time to head to the AEC website at aec.gov.au to check your details are up-to-date or enrol if you haven’t yet or if you’ll be turning 18 before election day.

“The start of the election period also means that nominations for the mayoral and councillor positions in Queensland’s 77 local government areas are now open.”

“If you’re thinking of putting your hand up to represent your local community, the best place to start is by visiting ecq.qld.gov.au you can find out more about what you need to do.

“There are a number of steps you need to complete to nominate, so I encourage you to get started on that early if you intend to run as a candidate.”

Queenslanders can visit ecq.qld.gov.au to stay up to date with the elections and to learn more about how local elections work.

“There is a wealth of great resources on our website, including short videos on topics like postal voting and counting the votes which can help you understand more about the process,” Mr Vidgen said.

“I also encourage Queensland electors to like and follow our social media platforms to make sure they are receiving important information and updates as the election period progresses.

2024 local government elections timetable

  • 29 January – Notice of Election
  • 5 February – Close of Electoral Roll
  • 13 February – Candidate nominations close
  • 14 February – Ballot paper order draw
  • 4 March – Postal vote applications close
  • 4 March – Early voting commences
  • 16 March – Election Day
  • 26 March – Close of returns for postal votes

ENDS

Media enquiries: email media@ecq.qld.gov.au or phone 0438 120 699

ECQ opens applications for thousands of election jobs

5 January 2024

Applications have opened for more than 10,000 casual election official roles that will be needed to deliver the local government elections in Queensland on March 16.

Election officials play a critical part on the front-line during elections, helping millions of Queenslanders to have their say about who they want to represent them in their local communities.

The thousands of casual roles on offer will cover work before, on, or after election day on 16 March 2024.

Electoral Commissioner Pat Vidgen said applications are welcome from Queenslanders from all backgrounds and in all parts of the state.

“The ECQ’s state-wide team of election officials are everyday Queenslanders from all walks of life,” he said.

“We’re recruiting now for the Council elections on 16 March 2024, so if you’re interested in helping to deliver democracy on the ground and help people in your community to have their say, then one of these roles might be a great fit for you.”

“You’ll be paid for your work with us, have the opportunity to meet new people and learn new skills, all while getting the chance to see democracy in action.”

Mr Vidgen said prospective applicants should visit the ECQ website to read more about what’s involved, including eligibility and political neutrality requirements.

“Electoral integrity is something we take extremely seriously, so it’s important that our election officials reflect our principles of fairness, integrity and transparency.”

Interested Queenslanders can learn more about working at the elections on the ECQ website, which provides a position description and pay rates along with details about how to apply.

Applications will be open throughout the election period.