2024 Local Government Election
About the Election
There are 128 local government councils in NSW with each council represents a local government area. The NSW Electoral Commission will be conducting the elections for Port Macquarie Hastings Council on Saturday, 14 September 2024 for the election of Councillors. Port Macquarie Hastings Council will also be holding a mayoral election and a constitutional referendum relating to a reduction in Councillor numbers.
Voting is compulsory at all NSW local government elections and constitutional referendums.
For specific information relating to the 2024 Local Government elections please see this page on the NSW Electoral Commission website.
Candidate Information Sessions
Council hosted candidate information sessions on 27 and 28 May 2024 and 6 July 2024 which were open to potential candidates.
Council will not be hosting additional further candidate information sessions however the NSW Electoral Commission are also providing on-line candidate information webinars. You can register to attend the webinars, or they can be viewed here.
Referendum
At the Ordinary Council meeting held in September 2023, Council resolved to hold a constitutional referendum at the September 2024 Local Government election to ask the community:
“Do you favour a reduction in the number of Port Macquarie-Hastings Councillors from nine to seven, comprising the Mayor and six Councillors?”
It is compulsory to vote in a constitutional referendum so you will be required to respond to this question when you vote. Should the majority of responses vote “Yes”, the number of Councillors will reduce from nine to seven, comprising the Mayor and six Councillors at the 2028 Local Government election. Should the majority of responses vote “No” the number of Councillors will remain at nine comprising the Mayor and eight Councillors.
An information sheet is provided by Council here(PDF, 155KB), listing arguments for and against a reduction in Councillor numbers closer to the election.
A copy of the referendum ballot paper is also provided here(PDF, 424KB) for your information
Candidates
Registered candidates can be viewed at the NSW Electoral Commission website at the following address:
https://elections.nsw.gov.au/elections/local-government-elections/2024-nsw-local-government-elections/candidates?area=Port%20Macquarie-Hastings
Check Your Enrolment
It is important to ensure that you are correctly enrolled to vote in the correct area. Electoral Rolls close 5 August 2024 so please ensure you check your enrolments with plenty of time before this date at the NSW Electoral Commission website below and update them if required, also included by a link below.
NSW Electoral Commission Check Your Enrolment
NSW Electoral Commission Update Your Enrolment