The decisions of councils affect the lives of everyone in our community. Becoming a councillor is a great hands-on way to serve your community and positively influence future directions and outcomes for your municipality.
Benalla Rural City Council has seven councillors elected for a four-year term that work in a style that reflects a board of directors.
Councillors are responsible for setting policy and providing vision and strategic direction to the organisation. Councillors meet regularly through briefings and officially at Council Delegated Committee Meetings.
2024 Candidate and Scrutineer handbooks are now accessible on the VEC website:
Local council candidate resources | Victorian Electoral Commission (vec.vic.gov.au)
Candidate information series are now available on the VEC website:
Local council candidate resources | Victorian Electoral Commission (vec.vic.gov.au)
Victorian Electoral Commission
The Victorian Electoral Commission will conduct a candidate information session on Thursday 5 September 2024 at 6pm at the Benalla Victorian Electoral Commission office.
The Victorian Electoral Commission office is located at 75 Bridge Street East, Benalla.
Municipal Association of Victoria
The Municipal Association of Victoria will host community and candidate information sessions. Full details are available here: Stand for Council | MAV website.
Who qualifies to be a councillor?
The Local Government Act 2020 (the Act) lists the qualifications to be a councillor and the electoral provisions for being on the voters roll. The VEC website explains the different entitlements that residents may hold. They can be found here.
How can I nominate for council elections?
Candidates are required to nominate with the Victorian Electoral Commission. The nomination period is from Monday 9 September 2024, to 12pm to Tuesday 17 September 2024. Read the VEC's "Becoming a council election candidate" on their website here.
Mandatory Candidate Training
Under the Local Government Act 2020, candidates will have to undertake mandatory candidate training to consider standing for council which will help candidates understand what is involved in becoming a councillor.
Candidates must complete the Candidate Training course to be eligible to nominate with the Victorian Electoral Commission. This requirement applies to all serving or former councillors intending to nominate.
Further information will be available from Local Government Victoria closer to the election.
Update your enrollment details
You must update your enrolment within 21 days if you have changed your:
- residential address and have lived there for a month
- postal address if this is different to your residential address
- name.
All enrolment updates need to completed via the Victorian Electoral Commission.
Visit the VEC website to update your details or phone 1300 805 478.
Away during the election
If you’re going to be away from your enrolled address between Monday 7 October and Friday 25 October 2024, you are still be able to vote in your local council's election.
You can apply to have your ballot pack forwarded to a different address for this election. Visit the VEC website for more information.
If you’ll be away from your enrolled address with no access to mail, you can vote in person at your local election office. Voting in person will be available on weekdays from Thursday 19 September to Friday 25 October 2024. The local election office for Benalla Rural City Council will be announced on Monday 9 September 2024.
Enrolling as a ratepayer in Benalla Rural City Council
In a Victorian local council election there are two types of voters:
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State-enrolled
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Council-enrolled.
You have one vote in Benalla Rural City Council. If you are a state-enrolled voter, that is the enrolment you use to vote.
State-enrolled voters
You must enrol and vote if you:
For more information visit the VEC website
Council-enrolled voters (ratepayers)
Some ratepayers can apply to become council-enrolled voters in Benalla Rural City Council if they are:
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a property owner, occupier or represent a corporation
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18 or older
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§not a State-enrolled voter within the Benalla Rural City Council area.
These are known as council-enrolled voters.
The rules for council-enrolled voters have changed ahead of the 2024 council elections. These changes are explained below.
Owner ratepayers
You can apply to enrol in Benalla Rural City Council if you:
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own property and pay rates in the council area
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are 18 or older
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are not a state-enrolled voter who lives in Benalla Rural City Council.
This includes:
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Australian citizens who own a property in Benalla Rural City Council but do not live in the area (for example an investment or a holiday home)
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non-citizens over 18 who own a property and live in Benalla Rural City Council.
Up to 2 ratepayers can apply to enrol per property, but each person only gets one vote.
Occupier ratepayers
You can apply to enrol in Benalla Rural City Council if you:
Up to 2 people per property can apply to enrol, but each person only gets one vote.
Corporations
You can apply to enrol to vote on behalf of a corporation if you:
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are a director or company secretary of a corporation that pays rates (either as an owner or an occupier) in the council area
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have consented to being appointed as the corporation’s representative
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are not already a state-enrolled voter or council-enrolled voter for the same council.
Only one person can apply to enrol as the corporation’s representative.
If you meet the criteria
If you meet any of these criteria, you can contact us to apply to enrol.
Once you are enrolled, you must vote for the October 2024 elections and onwards. If you don’t vote, you may get a fine.
Resigning your enrolment
If you don’t want to vote for that property anymore, you can apply to resign your enrolment.
Expiry of enrolment
Occupier ratepayers’ and corporations’ enrolment expires before the next local government general election.
If you want to continue to vote, you must apply to enrol again before the next local council general election (2028).
Benalla Rural City Council will send you an invitation when it is time to renew your enrolment.
Owner ratepayers’ enrolment does not expire, but they can apply to resign their enrolment.
More information
To apply to become or check if you are a council enrolled voter in Benalla Rural City Council, contact us on 03 5760 2600.
For information about Victorian elections, visit the VEC website.