Local Government Elections
Local government elections are now held on the third Saturday of October, every two years, ending the previous cycle of elections in May.
Local governments make many decisions that affect your community and it is vital that your views are taken into consideration. By voting at local elections, you can contribute to effective local government. If you don't vote, you have no say in determining the person who represents you when making decisions in areas like local planning and development, recreation space and the upkeep of your community.
Voting at a local government election provides you with an opportunity to elect a person you believe can make the best contribution to your community by being a Councillor in your area.
You may be eligible to be enrolled to vote in the local government elections if you live in or are an owner or occupier of rateable property in the Shire of Denmark.
Residents
You are automatically enrolled to vote if you are on the State Electoral Roll for the Shire of Denmark. If you are not already on the State Electoral Roll and meet the eligibility criteria, or if you have changed address recently, you must complete an enrolment form.
Enrolment Forms
Electoral enrolment forms are available from the Local Government Office, all post offices, all Australian Electoral Commission Offices or the Western Australian Electoral Commission and must be completed and reach a Divisional Returning Officer by 28th August 2009.
Non-Resident Owners and Occupiers
If you are a non-resident owner or occupier of rateable property in the Shire of Denmark and are on the State or Commonwealth Electoral Roll, you are also eligible to vote. If you are not on the State or Commonwealth Electoral Roll and own or occupy rateable property in this local government area you may be eligible to vote. This applies if you were on the electoral roll for this local government prior to May 1997 and have owned or occupied rateable property in the district continuously since that time. Please contact your local government office for details. Owners of land who were on the last Local Government roll continue to retain that status until they cease to own the rateable property to which the enrolment relates. Occupiers do not have continuous enrolment and should contact their local government office to confirm their enrolment status. To be eligible to enrol as an occupier, you will need to have a right of continuous occupation under a lease, tenancy agreement or other legal instrument for at least the next three months following the date of the application to enrol.
Joint Owners and Occupiers
If a rateable property is owned or occupied by more than two people, a majority of owners/occupiers may nominate two persons form amongst themselves who are on either the State or Commonwealth Electoral Roll, to enrol as owner/occupier electors.
Corporations
A Body Corporate that owns or occupies rateable property may nominate two people who are on either the State or Commonwealth Electoral Roll to enrol as owner/occupier electors.
Checking your Enrolment
Persons wishing to check whether they are enrolled on the State Roll for the Shire of Denmark already can do so by visiting the WA Electoral Commission website address: www.waec.wa.gov.au/check_enrolment/index.php.
Persons wishing to check whether they are on the Council's Owners/Occupiers Roll can telephone the Shire's Customer Service Officers on (08) 9848 0300.
Please note that you will only be recorded on one of the above Rolls, not both.
Voting method
The Shire of Denmark runs each election by postal vote. All postal elections are managed by the WA Electoral Commission (WAEC) who appoint a Returning Officer for each election.
More information
For more information on local government elections, please contact the Department of Local Government (DLG) or the Western Australian Electoral Commission (WAEC) by clicking on the one of the links below.
Department of Local Government & Regional Development
Western Australian Electoral Commission (WAEC)
For further information please contact the Shire Office on telephone (08) 9848 0300 or email enquiries@denmark.wa.gov.au.