Council elections

Overview

Council elections will be held in October 2024 and administered by the Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC).  

The October 2024 elections will be by postal vote only. Instructions about how to vote will be included in the ballot packs, which will be sent out to voters by the VEC later this year.

In the Macedon Ranges, nine councillors are elected in total.

There are two types of voters: state-enrolled and council-enrolled.

State-enrolled voters

Australian citizens who are 18 or over and live in the Macedon Ranges

You have one vote per council. If you are a state-enrolled voter, that is the enrolment you use to vote.

Check if you are a state-enrolled voter, or update your details 

If you are not a state-enrolled voter, you can apply to become a council-enrolled voter. 

Council-enrolled voters

If you are not a state-enrolled voter and meet eligibility requirements

You can apply to become a council-enrolled voter if you meet all of the following conditions:

  • 18 years or older
  • a property owner, occupier or represent a corporation
  • not enrolled as a resident of the Macedon Ranges Shire on the State electoral roll.

No more than two owners and two occupiers can be enrolled for a single rateable property. Call Council on (03) 5422 0333 for further assistance if there are people already enrolled for the property. 

Note: in previous elections, property owners who did not live in the shire would be automatically enrolled. Now you must apply if you want to vote.  

Once you are enrolled, you will stay enrolled and you must vote in all local council elections, including by-elections for that council. If you do not vote, you may be fined by the VEC. 

You can apply to Council to remove your name from the council roll if you no longer want to be registered to vote. If you sell your property, your enrolment on the council roll will automatically become invalid. 

Apply to be a council-enrolled voter

Owner Ratepayer

Download the Owner Ratepayer Application for Enrolment Form(PDF, 209KB) if you meet all of the following conditions:

  • own a property and pay rates in the Macedon Ranges Shire area
  • are 18 years or older on election day
  • are not a state-enrolled voter who lives in the Macedon Ranges Shire.

Submit the form through one of the following methods: 

Occupier Ratepayer

Download the Occupier Ratepayer Application for Enrolment Form if you meet all of the following conditions:
  • pay rates for a property that you occupy but do not own
  • are 18 years or older on election day
  • are not a state-enrolled voter.

Submit the form through one of the following methods: 

Note that Council may request proof of occupancy and liability for Council rates.

Corporations

Download the Corporation Application for Enrolment Form if you meet all of the following conditions:

  • are a company secretary or director of a corporation that pays rates (either as an owner or an occupier) in the shire
  • are not already a state-enrolled voter or council-enrolled voter in the shire.

Submit the form through one of the following methods: 

Silent voter

If you believe that having your address printed on the voters' roll could put your personal safety or your family's safety at risk, you can apply to be a silent elector. This means that you are still required to vote, but the address where you live is not shown on the printed voters' roll.

As a State-enrolled voter, contact the Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC) regarding enrolling as a silent elector. If you are already a silent elector on the state electoral roll, you will automatically be made a silent elector on the council electoral roll if the VEC can identify and match your records.

As a council-enrolled voter, you can complete a silent elector application directly with us. Download a Silent Voter Request Form(DOCX, 98KB) Silent Voter Request Form(PDF, 65KB)

Submit your completed form before 4pm on Friday 30 August 2024 via one of the following methods:

Standing for Council

More information will be available in early 2024.

Election Period (Caretaker) Period

The election period (sometimes referred to as the 'caretaker period') begins on the last day that nominations can be received and ends at 6pm on election day.

Our Election Period (Caretaker) Policy ensures that Council business continues throughout this period in a responsible and transparent manner. Please note that this policy has been updated to reflect the provisions and terminology of the Local Government Act 2020. This policy forms part of our Governance Rules.

Campaign Donations (2020 election)

Within 40 days after election day, all candidates must submit an election campaign donation return to the Chief Executive Officer. A summary of the 2020 election returns is listed below.

Election campaign donation returns are also available for inspection at the Kyneton Administration Centre during normal office hours for a period of four years from the date of receipt.

Name

Declaration

Gift made by

Total value of gift

Diana Abruzzi

Gifts 

Phillip Fusco

Anthony Fusco

Michael Fusco

$1000.00

$1000.00

$  500.00

Deborah Alford-Kerr  No disclosable gifts  n/a  n/a

JS Amenta

No disclosable gifts

n/a

n/a

Jennifer Anderson

No disclosable gifts

n/a

n/a

Henry Bleeck

No disclosable gifts

n/a

n/a

Dominic Bonanno

No disclosable gifts

n/a

n/a

Annette Death

Gift disclosed

VTHC Candidate School

$894.39

Adrian Gauci

No disclosable gifts

n/a

n/a

Natasha Gayfer

No disclosable gifts

n/a

n/a

Rob Guthrie

No disclosable gifts

n/a

n/a

 Graham Hackett  No disclosable gifts  n/a n/a 

Anne Moore

No disclosable gifts

n/a

n/a

Geoff Neil

No disclosable gifts

n/a

n/a

Janet Pearce

Gift disclosed

Kathy Mexted

$200

Mark Ridgeway

No disclosable gifts

n/a

n/a

Lenka Thompson

Gifts disclosed

Andrew Binns

Australian Greens Victoria—Macedon Ranges Branch

Australian Greens Victoria

Lenka Thompson

$500

$2,337.50

$4,104.24

$534

Wes Turner

Gift disclosed

James Lantry—Telereach

$269.70

Christine Walker

No disclosable gifts

n/a

n/a

Hayden Walsh

No disclosable gifts

n/a

n/a

Bill West

No disclosable gifts

n/a

n/a

Brian Wilson

Gifts disclosed

Irene Thompson

Ellenis Day Spa

Brian Wilson

$1,000

$500

$1,000

Questions?

If you have any questions about the election process, candidates and voting as a state-enrolled voter, contact the Victorian Electoral Commission directly via the VEC website or call 131 832.

For questions about registering as a council-enrolled voter, call our customer service team on (03) 5422 0333 or email mrsc@mrsc.vic.gov.au