Elections

Council elections were held in October 2020.
7 councillors were elected to form the Council from 2020 until 2024.

Local Government Elections 2020

Local government elections were held across Victoria during October 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The elections were conducted by the Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC) on Saturday 24 October 2020 and entirely by postal voting. The VEC is the statutory election service provider for these elections, principally under the Local Government Act 2020 (LG Act). 

To learn more about the local Council Election visit Council's profile page.  

Mandatory candidate training

For the first time, local government candidates were required to complete mandatory training to be eligible to nominate.

The training covered vital information about being a councillor, including:

  • conflict of interest information
  • code of conduct
  • available support to do the role.

The mandatory course was introduced in the Local Government Act 2020 to ensure candidates understand the role of councillor and the standards they are expected to uphold if elected.  This training was presented by Local Government Victoria.

Further information

Visit the Local Government Victoria website.

Call the Governance Department on 5366 7100.

Election period policy

Council has adopted an Election Period Policy(PDF, 196KB) which sets out the restrictions, requirements, and expectations that apply during the period leading up to an election.

To request a hard copy of the policy please contact us.

Entitlement to vote

You can apply to be a council-enrolled voter if you:

  • pay rates on a property within the council area but do not reside within the council area and were not on the council roll for the most recent election or by-election
  • are not an Australian citizen, but you live in and pay rates for a property in the council area
  • pay rates on a property you occupy within the council area and have no other entitlement to vote in the council’s elections
  • are a director or company secretary of a corporation that pays rates on a property within the council area and have no other entitlement to vote in the council’s elections.

To check if you are a council-enrolled voter or to apply to enrol, please contact Council.

Campaign Donations Return summary

Download a copy of the 2020 General Council Election - Campaign Donation Returns Summary(DOCX, 47KB).

Frequently Asked Questions

Am I Enrolled to Vote?

You will be automatically enrolled by your council for this election if you were enrolled as a non-resident owner (you pay rates on a property but don’t live there) at the most recent election for your council. This includes any by-elections held since the last general election. If your circumstances have changed since the most recent election and you are no longer a non-resident owner of that property, you will not be automatically enrolled for this election.

Apply to enrol

You can apply to be a council-enrolled voter if you: 

  • pay rates on a property within the council area but do not reside within the council area and were not on the council roll for the most recent election or by-election
  • are not an Australian citizen, but you live in and pay rates for a property in the council area
  • pay rates on a property you occupy within the council area and have no other entitlement to vote in the council’s elections
  • are a director or company secretary of a corporation that pays rates on a property within the council area and have no other entitlement to vote in the council’s elections. 

Please contact us if you wish to apply to be enrolled for the 2020 Moorabool Shire Council elections.

Do I have to vote?

Yes. If you are enrolled to vote, then you must vote, unless:

  • You live outside the municipality; or
  • You applied to Council to be on the roll.

In these cases, you are encouraged to vote in the Moorabool Shire Council elections but won’t be fined if you don’t.

Thinking of Standing for Council?

Being a Councillor expands your ability to influence issues that you care about, and to make a difference in your community. If you are thinking about nominating as a candidate, you must be enrolled to vote in Moorabool Shire Council elections. There are some other requirements and disqualifications to consider – these are explained in more detail on the VEC website.