What you need to know about the local government elections

This year, the City of Subiaco local government election will be held on Saturday 16 October.
 
Local government elections are a great way to get involved in your community, contribute to a democracy and have a say on who will represent you in making decisions about local issues.
 
To help you find out more about the elections, we’ve put some FAQs below.
 
Q: How often are local government elections held?
A: Every two years, usually on the third Saturday in October.
 
Q: Who will run the City of Subiaco election?
A: The Western Australian Electoral Commission (WAEC) has appointed a returning officer to oversee the election, including accepting candidate nominations and supervising the count on election night.
 
Q: Why should I vote?
A: By participating in the City of Subiaco election, you can have a say on who will represent you in making decisions about local issues, such as community assets, infrastructure, services, allocation of resources and setting council’s policies. The more people who vote, the more representative Council will be.
 
Q: How do I vote?
A: All registered voters, whether they be listed on the residents’ roll or the owner/occupier roll, can vote by postal vote or by dropping their ballot papers off at the City’s Administration Centre before 6pm on election day. Voting packages will be sent to all electors approximately three weeks before election day.
 
Q: What is the make-up of the City of Subiaco council?
A: Council will comprise of a mayor – who is elected by the electors of the City – and eight councillors, with two councillors representing each of the City’s four wards (north, east, central and south). This has changed since the last election due to a ward and representation review.
 
Q: Who will I be voting for this year?
A; You will receive ballot papers for the mayor and your ward. This year, there are two vacancies in the east ward – one for a two-year term (due to a councillor resignation) and one for a four-year term. The one vacancy in the south ward has now been filled by Cr White, elected unopposed.
 
Q: How do I find out more about the candidates?
A: All candidates and their profiles will be posted on the notice board at the City’s Administration Centre and listed on the City’s website. The nomination period closes on Thursday 9 September.
 
Q: How does the voting process work?
A: Local government elections use the ‘first-past-the-post’ system. This means that electors indicate their preferred candidate(s) and the one with the most votes is elected.
 
Where there are multiple vacancies, the candidate with the most votes is elected first, the candidate with the second highest number of votes is elected second and the process continues until all vacancies are filled.
 
Q. How do I find out who won the election?
The count commences at 6pm on election day and results are usually available later that evening on the Western Australian Electoral Commission and the City of Subiaco website.