Council Elections

1. Overview

The next NSW Local Government elections are scheduled to be held on Saturday 14 September 2024

Find out about how to enrol to vote, get forms to vote as a non-residential and information for anyone considering running for Council.

Voting is compulsory. You are eligible to vote if you are:

  • an Australian citizen
  • 18 years or older
  • living in NSW.

Visit the NSW Electoral Commission website to check:

You can also call them on 1300 135 736.

2. Polling locations

Visit Byron Shire Council - NSW Electoral Commission to see the address, opening times and accessibility details of each location

  • Bangalow Public School
  • Brunswick Heads Memorial Hall
  • Byron Bay High School
  • Byron Bay Public School
  • Clunes Public School
  • Federal Hall
  • Newrybar Community Hall
  • Ocean Shores Community Centre
  • Ocean Shores Public School
  • St Johns Multi Purpose Centre Mullumbimby
  • Suffolk Park Community Hall

Pre-poll locations

Visit Byron Shire Council - NSW Electoral Commission to see the address, opening times and accessibility details of each location

  • Byron Region Returning Officer's Office, Mullumbimby Civic Memorial Hall.
  • Byron CoLab, 10-12 Shirley Street, Byron Bay.

3. Information for Councillor Candidates

Online candidate information tool

The Office of Local Government has launched an online candidate information tool designed to equip candidates with an understanding of their role and responsibilities.

Legal obligations

The NSW Electoral Commission provides support to help candidates understand their legal obligations regarding political donations and electoral expenditure.   

Please call the NSW Electoral Commission on 1300 022 011 for:

  • Political party and candidate enquiries.
  • Third party campaigner enquiries.
  • Political donor enquiries.

Council has engaged the NSW Electoral Commission to conduct the election. This was decided at the 23 February 2023 Ordinary Council Meeting.

View the Minutes from the Council Meeting.

4. Election results 2021

The previous NSW local government elections were held on Saturday 4 December 2021.

You can see who was elected here:  Meet our Mayor and Councillors

For more details about the election visit the NSW Electoral Commission website

Conduct of Election

Local Government elections and by-elections are conducted in a legal environment in accordance with the provisions of the Local Government 1993 and the Local Government (General) Regulation 2005.

The NSW Electoral Commission is contracted by Council to conduct the election on our behalf. The Commission appoints a Returning Officer to administer the election process.  

An independent Returning Officer is appointed by the NSWEC to each council area to conduct the election on behalf of and under the direction of the Electoral Commissioner.

The Electoral Commissioner appoints the polling places for council elections and the Returning Officer appoints the election officials.

Each council is required by law to meet the costs of the conduct of its election.  The NSWEC works with each council to establish agreed service levels. 

Funding and Disclosures

Local government candidates and councillors are required to make disclosures to the NSW Electoral Commission for political donations and electoral expenditure.

View copies of the disclosures on the NSW Electoral Commission website.

5. Council contact details

Related Information

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