Local Government Elections 2020

Voting

Voting in local council elections in Victoria this October will be by post.

The Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC)posted ballot packs between 6 October and 8 October 2020.

The ballot pack contained:

• a ballot paper attached to statements and photographs lodged by the candidates in your council or ward
• a ballot paper envelope with a flap
• voting instructions
• a reply-paid envelope.

For further information, please visit https://www.vec.vic.gov.au/voting/2020-local-council-election/elections/hume-city-council

To find out who has nominated for the 2020 Hume City Council Local Government Elections, please visit the VEC website here.

Candidates are encouraged to read the most recent candidate Handbook to familiarise themselves with the key requirements and responsibilities of nominating for council elections. Handbooks can be accessed via the VEC website.

All candidates were required to enrol by 4pm on Friday 28 August 2020 to be eligible to run for Council.

Please note that all candidates must have attend the Mandatory Candidate Information sessions which were hosted by Local Government Victoria. Further information is available under 'Mandatory Candidate Training Sessions' on this website.

For any further information please visit the website of the Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC) or contact them on 131 832.

Safe Campaigning

Local Government Victoria have published information on safe campaigning for the local government elections. 

Campaigning for council elections in October 2020 - Guidelines for coronavirus (COVID-19) will help candidates understand how to comply with the directions of the Victorian Chief Health Officer to stay safe while campaigning.

This includes advice on permitted campaign activities, safety for campaign teams, basic hygiene and physical distancing.

The Guidelines may be viewed here, or further information may be found on the Local Government Victoria website 

Political Advertising Information

Political advertising is not permitted on Hume City Council property including Council road reserves during the elections. Read the guidelines.(PDF, 278KB)

Nominations (Now Closed)

Nominations to stand as a candidate for the 2020 local council elections were open until 12 noon on Tuesday 22 September 2020.

Nominations for this election have now closed.

The following vacancies exist for the Hume City Council:

• Aitken Ward (4 vacancies)
• Jacksons Creek Ward (3 vacancies)
• Meadow Valley Ward (4 vacancies)

Candidates are listed now listed on the VEC website here.

Candidate Seminars

 The VEC held state-wide interactive candidate seminars online, on the following dates:

• 7pm Wednesday 9 September 2020
• 1pm Sunday 13 September 2020
• 5pm Tuesday 15 September 2020

Find below a link to the Candidate Information video presentation, also available on the VEC website

 Candidate Information Session video

The election period commences on the last day that nominations can be received, being Tuesday 22 September 2020 at midday, and ends at 6pm on Election Day, Saturday 24 October 2020.

During the Election Period, Council's Election Caretaker Period Policy will apply. This policy provides guidance to Councillors, staff and candidates in the lead up to, and during the period for the 2020 elections, and commences from midnight on Tuesday 22 September 2020 to 6pm on Election Day, Saturday 24 October 2020.

Election Caretaker Period Policy(PDF, 308KB).

Under the Local Government Act 2020, Section 306:

Within 40 days of election day, a person who was a candidate in the election must give an election campaign donation return to the Chief Executive Officer. An election campaign donation return must -

1. be in the prescribed form; and 
2. contain the prescribed details in respect of any gifts received during the donation period by or on behalf of the candidate, to be used for or in connection with the election campaign, the amount or value of which is equal to or exceeds the gift disclosure threshold.

Copies of Election Donation Return forms will be included in Candidate Information Kits and will be made accessible on this page when they become available.

Within 14 days after the deadline for lodgement of completed Campaign Donation Returns by candidates, summaries of each return lodged will be made available on Council’s website and will include the following information:

a) the name of the candidate
b) if a gift is included in the return, the name of the person who made the gift, and the value of the gift received from that person

This information will remain on Council's Internet site until the close of the roll for the next general election.

The 2020 Campaign Donation Returns Summary can be accessed here.(PDF, 105KB)

Copies of completed Campaign Donation Returns will be available for inspection only upon application at Council’s office for 4 years. To make an appointment to view completed Campaign Donation Returns, please contact the Governance team on 9205 2200.

Voting at the election is compulsory for residents of Hume City who are enrolled on the Victorian electoral roll. Failure to vote will attract a penalty unless you are entitled to an exemption under the Local Government Act 2020.

The non-voter enforcement program will be managed by the Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC).

Stand For Council 

The Municipal Association of Victoria hosted a Stand for Council - candidate and community information session for prospective candidates running in the municipality of Hume on Tuesday 25 August 2020 via Zoom.

Session Outline

The Stand for Council Community and Candidate Information session provided prospective candidates with information about:

• The role and purpose of local government  
• The new Local Government Act 2020 
• Introduction to your council and information on the municipal area
• Roles, responsibilities and expectations of a councillor
• The experience of being a councillor 
• The electoral process and campaigning including key dates and information provided by the Victorian Electoral Commission. 

Registrations for this event have now closed.

A copy of the slideshow from the Stand for Council session held for Hume City Council on 25 August 2020 can be viewed here.(PDF, 3MB)

To be eligible to vote at the 2020 Hume City Council General Election, you need to be enrolled by 4pm on Friday, 28 August 2020 on either the State Roll or the Council Roll.

State Roll

You can be on the State Roll in Hume if all of these apply:

1. You are an Australian citizen or eligible British subject AND you are aged 18 years and over;
2. You reside at an address within Hume City Council.

To enrol, visit the VEC website.

Council Roll

If you can’t be on the State Roll, you may apply to be on the Council Roll if any of these apply:

• You own a rateable property in Hume OR
• You occupy a property in Hume and pay the rates under the lease OR
• You represent a corporation that owns or occupies a rateable property in Hume.

Council have already written to those voters who had successfully applied to be on the Council Roll for the 2016 election.  Should you wish to apply to be on the Council Roll for the upcoming election please contact the Revenue team by:

1. Email Rates@Hume.vic.gov.au, or
2. Phone (03) 9205 2688

Residents can enrol or update their enrolment online at www.vec.vic.gov.au or pick up a form at any Post Office or Australian Electoral Commission office and return it to the Victorian Electoral Commission before 4pm on Friday, 28 August 2020.

Do I need to enrol and vote?(JPG, 521KB)

If you are an Owner of a rateable property within Hume, you may  also be entitled as a ratepayer to apply to be enrolled on the voters' roll in respect of the ward in which the property is located (Aitken, Jacksons Creek, Meadow Valley).

Application forms must be received by Council no later than 4pm on 28 August 2020, being the close of the roll. 

You may apply to be on the Council Roll if any of these apply:

• You own a rateable property in Hume OR
• You occupy a property in Hume and pay the rates under the lease OR
• You represent a corporation that owns or occupies a rateable property in Hume.

Council have already written to those voters who had successfully applied to be on the Council Roll for the 2016 election.  Should you wish to apply to be on the Council Roll for the upcoming election please contact the Revenue team by email Rates@Hume.vic.gov.au or alternatively by phone on (03) 9205 2688 for the relevant application form. 

On 9 July 2020, Hume City's Ward Boundaries were gazetted, affecting the boundaries of each of the three wards. This may affect which ward you are required to vote in for the upcoming election. Candidates can stand for election for any ward within a council, even if their enrolled address is in a different ward within the council.

The Hume municipality is divided into three wards:

Aitken Ward(PDF, 2MB)

Jacksons Creek Ward(PDF, 1MB)

Meadow Valley Ward(PDF, 2MB)

Under the Local Government Act 2020, all candidates for election must attend a candidate training and information session prior to nominating. If you do not attend a training session, you will not be eligible to nominate. This includes candidates who have nominated or been elected to Council previously.

Local Government Victoria (LGV) is developing and implementing an online training module for Mandatory Candidate Training for this year’s council elections. This will be the only Minister approved mode of mandatory training for prospective candidates. The information session will be recorded and streamed from the VEC website, complemented by three State-wide interactive candidate seminars based on the information session video.

Download the Candidate Training Frequently Asked Questions(DOCX, 2MB).

Download the Candidate Training Poster.

There is a range of useful resources for people who want to learn more about local government as a sector, and past council elections. Visit the following websites if you would like more information:

• Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC)
• Local Government Victoria (LGV)
• Victorian Local Governance Association (VLGA)
• Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV)
• Australian Local Government Association (ALGA)
• Australian Local Government Women's Association - Victoria Branch
• Know Your Council