Local Government Elections

Information for Voters

Voting in local government elections is not compulsory in Western Australia, but all local electors are strongly encouraged to vote.

Postal voting election packages are sent out to all electors a month before the election. To be included in the count, ballot papers must be filled in and sealed as per the included instructions and either a) received via post by the election date, or b) deposited in the ballot box at the Shire Administration Centre by 6pm on election day.

If you have not received a postal voting package in the period prior to any postal election, please come into the Shire Offices to obtain a replacement.

Postal voting enables electors to hand deliver their postal vote before election day. Locations for this will be advertised in the lead-up to the election. All ballot papers must be received by the Returning officer by 6pm on Election Day to be counted.

To find out more about local government elections, please contact WAEC. 

Are you enrolled to vote?

Prior to any upcoming election you must confirm your enrolment details or enrol to vote before the relevant WAEC deadline.

Residents
All residents in a local government district who are enrolled on the State electoral roll are automatically enrolled on the corresponding local government roll by the WAEC.

If you are not already on the State Electoral Roll and meet the eligibility criteria, or if you have changed address recently, you must complete an enrolment form.

Visit the WAEC website to check your details or to enrol online.

Non-resident Owners and Occupiers including Body Corporates
A person who is enrolled to vote in a state or federal election outside the Shire of Toodyay but who owns or occupies a rateable property within the Shire of Toodyay may make a claim of eligibility for the opportunity to be enrolled to vote in the Shire’s local government election. 

There are two types of claims of eligibility:

1. A claim of ownership; or
2. A claim of occupation.

An elector can make an enrolment eligibility claim using the forms below:

Form 2: Enrolment Eligibility Claim - Owner or Co-Owner

Form 2A: Enrolment Eligibility Claim - Occupier or Co-Occupier

Form 2B: Enrolment Eligibility Claim - Nomination by Group of Owners / Occupiers

Form 2C: Enrolment Eligibility Claim - Nomination by Body Corporate

Any claims must be lodged with the Chief Executive Officer at least 77 days before the relevant election date. 

Are you considering nominating for Council?

Check your eligibility to nominate for Council here. 

Further information is at the link below:

https://mailchi.mp/walga/2025-local-government-elections-candidate-information-webinar?e=9a0c285b09 

The WA Local Government Association (WALGA) has provided the following Candidate Information Video below:

For further details regarding eligibility and nomination procedures, please contact WAEC on 13 63 06.

Disclosure of Electoral Gifts

Candidates and donors of electoral gifts must disclose any gifts received, made or promised during the disclosure period. This period runs until the day of swearing-in for successful candidates, and three days after election day for unsuccessful candidates.

Electoral gifts must be disclosed either: 

• Within three days of nomination (if the gift is received, made or promised before the nomination of the candidate); or
• Within three days of receipt, delivery or promise of the gift (once the candidate has been nominated)

An electoral gift is any gift for the purposes of the Local Government (Elections) Regulations 1997, where:  

• The gift is linked to the candidate’s candidacy; and
• The value of the donation is $300 or more, or it is one of two or more gifts made by a person during the disclosure period and with a total value of $300 or more

Donors of electoral gifts are closely-associated persons as defined by the Regulations. Before accepting campaign gifts, candidates should consider how the acceptance may affect their ability to participate in future decision-making processes of Council.

Electoral gifts do not include the provision of volunteer labour, gifts in a will, or gifts by a relative (as defined by section 5.74(1) of the Act).

To disclose an electoral gift, please submit a Gift Disclosure Form (Electoral).

Electoral Gifts Register

Local Government Reforms

The State Government, in 2023, made changes to the Local Government Act 1995. These changes aim to ensure local governments can better serve residents and ratepayers.  

The key reforms relevant to future Shire of Toodyay elections are: 

• Optional preferential voting – bringing local government elections in line with State and Federal elections and restoring the right of voters to express preferences
• Changes to Council representation – Toodyay’s Council has been reduced from nine (9) Elected Members to seven (7), aligning the size of the Council with the size of the population

More information about these reforms is available here.

Caretaker Period

The legislated caretaker period will take effect from 4pm on the close of nominations date and end on the day after the returning officer declares the results. During this period, Local Governments cannot make decisions or take actions that meet the definition of “significant act”.

Local Governments may be able to do a significant act during the caretaker period if:

• the decision was made prior to Caretaker Period and prescribed local public notice requirements are met;
• they have a legal obligation to do the significant act; or
• the significant act is necessary for proper operations or due an emergency and they receive authorisation from the Departmental CEO.

Caretaker provisions are found in:

• Local Government Act 1995 (the Act) Part 3, Division 5, and
• Local Government (Functions and General) Regulations 1996 (the Functions and General Regulations) Part 1B.

Call for Nominations - Local Government Ordinary Election

Shire of Toodyay

Notification of an ordinary postal election to be held will appear here.

The next election in 2027 will have 3 vacancies.

Nominations Open on date to be advised.

Nominations Close at 4:00pm date to be advised. Nominations must be lodged with the Returning Officer:

• at any time during the above period by arrangement; or
• between 2:00pm and 4:00pm close of nominations date at the Shire of Toodyay, 15 Fiennes Street, TOODYAY.

Nomination Requirements

Candidates are required to lodge with the Returning Officer:

• The Commission's preferred method for candidates to nominate is through the Commissions Nomination Builder. This tool assists candidates in completing their nomination form, including their profile and additional information. The Nomination Builder can be accessed via https://lgportal.waec.wa.gov.au/noms. Candidates can complete their nomination details and profile, print the completed form with the allocated reference number, and lodge it with the Returning Officer. Alternatively, a copy of the prescribed nomination form is available from the Returning Officer or via elections.wa.gov.au/LGE25Candidate-Information
• a single A4 page profile of not more than 1,000 characters (including spaces) containing information about the candidate.
• a nomination deposit of $100 (cash, EFT, bank cheque or postal order).
• a recent passport-sized photograph (optional).
• every candidate must complete the online course titled Local Government Candidate Induction, available at Induction for prospective candidates | LGIRS, prior to nominating and prove the course code on the nomination form; and
• in addition to your A4 profile, you may provide additional information that you consider to be relevant to your candidature. This written statement cannot be more than 2,000 characters (including spaces), must be in the English language and is for publication on the local government’s official website only. (optional)

Please Note:

Where an agent lodges a nomination on a candidate’s behalf, it must be in the prescribed form with a written authorisation signed by the candidate. The documents may be hand delivered or posted to the Returning Officer and must be received by the close of nominations.

Information

Full details about eligibility and nomination procedures for prospective candidates can be obtained by contacting the Returning Officer, Hayley FITZSIMMONS on 0498 797 735 or the Western Australian Electoral Commission on 13 63 06.

DENNIS O’REILLY

ACTING ELECTORAL COMMISSIONER 13 63 06

Candidate Profiles

Candidate nominations for the most recent local government election in 2025 appear below.

Simon Van Der Heyden

Ray Mills

Steven McCormick

Mick McKeown