Minister for Local Government John Carey is today calling on Western Australians to make their voices heard and cast a vote in the upcoming local government elections.
Ordinary local government elections are held every two years, with the upcoming elections taking place on October 16.
The majority of local governments hold postal voting elections, which are conducted by the WA Electoral Commission (WAEC). Elections held by in-person voting may be held by WAEC or the local government.
The State Government has been running the ‘Be a Vocal Local’ campaign in partnership with the WA Local Government Association, Local Government Professionals WA and WAEC, encouraging Western Australians to play an active role in the elections.
For the upcoming ordinary elections on October 16 2021, there are 640 vacancies across 139 local governments, including two Indian Ocean Territories.
For more information on how to vote in the 2021 local elections, contact your local government.
Find out more about the local election process on the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries’ website https://www.dlgsc.wa.gov.au/local-government/local-governments/council-elections
As stated by Local Government Minister John Carey:
“Voting is really easy, but it is a critical and powerful way to play a role in the future direction of your community. It only takes a few minutes to read up on the candidates in your area and to cast a vote.
“Councils should reflect the community they represent and I am a supporter of seeing greater diversity in elected representatives, including more young people, women, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, those living with disabilities and people from culturally diverse backgrounds.
“One of the best ways to achieve diversity is by making your voice heard, and voting for candidates you believe will represent your views.
“Councils make a lot of decisions about how to spend ratepayer money, which in the 2019-20 financial year was nearly $2.5 billion across all Western Australian local governments, so it is important people play an active role in the voting process.
“Ordinary elections only come around every two years, so I urge Western Australians to make the most of this opportunity and vote for members of their local council.”
