Council Elections 2020

The next Council Elections will be held on Saturday 24 October 2020.

There are new provisions in the Local Government Act 2020 (the Act) on the Election process, including who can become a candidate. This is detailed throughout the information below. To review the provisions of the Act, please click here.

Candidate handbook 2020

The VEC has released the 2020 Candidate Handbook (Handbook) which is now available on the VEC website link here.

The Handbook outlines aspects of electoral law and is intended to assist candidates for the Victorian Council elections.

The VEC will provide an information session for all prospective candidates. For further details, please visit the VEC website at www.vec.vic.gov.au.

Important Dates

Mandatory Candidate Training

Mandatory Local Government Candidate Training for the 2020 Local Government elections is now available on-line. The link to training can be found here.

Under the new requirements included in the Local Government Act 2020, candidates must complete the Victorian Government’s Local Government Candidate Training course to be eligible to nominate with the Victorian Electoral Commission. This includes all serving or former councillors intending to nominate.

Local Government Victoria has confirmed that the on-line training will take approximately an hour to complete.

If you have any questions, please refer to the FAQ document that Local Government Victoria have prepared – click here to view the FAQ (812KB) or alternatively contact a member of the Governance Team on 1300 322 322

It’s our time campaign

The Victorian Government is expected to launch in mid-August, the It’s Our Time campaign. This campaign aims to inspire women to get involved in local government and nominate for election. The push will include the provision of online resources including webinars.

It’s Our Time will draw on the experience and expertise of a range of partners including LGPro (Local Government Professionals), the Australian Local Government Women’s Association, the Victorian Local Governance Association, the YWCA and the Ethnic Communities Council.

Further details will be provided as this information becomes available.

Safe Campaigning Guidelines

Update advice on safe campaigning for the October local government elections has been released.

Click here to view the updated guidelines which outline the restrictions applicable to campaign activities.

From 11.59pm on Sunday 13 September 2020, you are able to leave your home to drop off campaign materials in letterboxes during the two hour outdoor exercise period. You must wear a face covering and carry a small bottle of alcohol based hand sanitizer.

Always refer to the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) for specific information on current restrictions.

Local Government Victoria is available to provide advice to councils on non-health related queries on 1300 764 373 or email LGV.Emergencies@delwp.vic.gov.au,

For information relating to the Elections, please visit the VEC website https://vec.vic.gov.au.

Can I be a candidate?
Do I need to live in the area?
Can I start campaigning?
Candidate Mandated Training
Candidate Information Sessions
Voting
Key information about Frankston City Council
Election Campaign Donations Returns
Election Period (Caretaker)
Election Period Policy
New Ward Structure for Council Elections 2020 and 2024

Can I be a candidate?

A person may nominate as a candidate for an election for any Ward of the Council, if they are qualified to be a Councillor under the Act.

To be eligible, the person must be:

• 18 years and over;
• An Australian Citizen or an eligible British subject*; and
• Enrolled on the voters roll for the Council or would be enrolled on the voters roll for the Council on a particular day, if the voters roll were to be prepared on that particular day.

A person would not be eligible if they:

• Are a State Member of Parliament or Federal Member of Parliament in Victoria or of another State or Territory;
• Are employed as a Ministerial officer, a Parliamentary advisor, electorate officer by a State Member of Parliament (or in a corresponding position, by or for, a Federal Member of Parliament within Victoria, any other State or Territory);
• Are a Councillor of another Council or a member of a corresponding body under an Act of another State or Territory;
• Are member of Council staff of the Council;
• Are in an undischarged bankrupt;
• Are subject to control under the law relating to bankruptcy of a property;
• Fail to take the oath or affirmation of office of Council at any Council when required under this Act during the current term of office of that Council;
• Had been disqualified from being a Councillor after a finding by VCAT of gross misconduct, for the period that the period of disqualification specified in the order made by VCAT is in force;
• Have been subject to 2 or more findings of serious misconduct by a separate Councillor Conduct Panel under section 167in the proceeding 8 years and the period during which the person can apply under section 170 to VCAT for a review of those findings has expired, for the period 4 years following the second finding of serious misconduct during which the disqualification is in force;
• Have been convicted of the offence of failing to lodge an election campaign donation return in relation to the current term of the Council;
• Have been convicted of an offence against this Act in the proceeding 8 years for which the maximum penalty is 120 penalty units or a period of imprisonment of at least 12 months;
• Have been convicted of an offence in the proceeding 8 years, committed when the person was of or over 18 years of age, which is punishable upon first conviction for a term of imprisonment of 2 years or more under the law of Victoria, or the law of any other State or a Territory of the Commonwealth, or the law of the Commonwealth,
• Has been disqualified from managing corporations under Part 2D(6) of the Corporations Act.

*An eligible British subject means a person, whose name was, within 3 months before 26 January 1984, enrolled on an electoral roll for an electoral district or on an electoral roll maintained under the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 and is of the full age of 18 years. 

Do I need to live in the area?

Candidates must be on the voters roll for the council they wish to stand for:

• everyone on the electoral roll for the municipality; and
• Council enrolled voters for the municipality.

Candidates can stand for election for any ward within a Council, even if their enrolled address is in a different ward within the Council.

Can I start campaigning?

Candidates can start campaigning at any time, even before they have officially nominated.

When campaigning, consider the following:

• All campaign material, including advertising, must be properly authorised by the candidate (or a representative of the candidate's party) so it is clear who is accountable for it.
• All non-electoral laws, such as those relating to defamation, still apply.
• During the election period, candidates must not print or distribute materials that are likely to mislead voters into voting incorrectly.

Candidate Information Sessions

Frankston City will be hosting an information session for all potential candidates.

Where: Where: Online via Zoom. Click here.

When: 7pm on Thursday 30 July 2020

To assist Council with managing the logistics of the session (including any COVID-19 related requirements) we request you register your attendance by contacting the Governance department via email governance@frankston.vic.gov.au or phone 9784 1038.

Candidate Mandated Training

The Minister for Local Government will be approving an online module, to be administered via Local Government Victoria, for the purposes of mandatory candidate training for the 2020 elections. It is anticipated that this training will be available on-line in early August. Please refer to important dates table at the top of this page.

Voting

On 15 May 2020 the Minister for Local Government announced that the 2020 Council elections will still go ahead and declared that postal voting will be used across the State.

The newly proclaimed Local Government Act 2020 provides the Minister for Local Government with the power to determine the voting system to be used for general elections.

This method of voting was previously undertaken for Frankston City.

It is important to note that the Chief Health Officer has advised that it is safe for the postal election to proceed this year during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Key information about Frankston City

Find key information about Frankston City by selecting the links below.

Annual Report
Annual Budget
Council Plan
Our organisation
Policies, Plans and Strategies
Powers of Council
Councillor Delegate Committees
Council and Committee Meetings
Media and Publications
Governance
Local Laws
Major Projects
Advocacy

Related Policies

Councillor Code of Conduct (291KB)
Councillor Training and Development Policy (1MB)
Councillor and Staff Interaction (54KB)
Council Expenses Policy
Councillor Expense Reimbursement Protocol (3MB)
Community Engagement Policy (2MB)
Letter under Seal Policy (2MB)
Gifts and Hospitality Policy (1MB)
Mayoral Chains Protocol (149KB)
Election Period Policy (464KB)
Procurement Policy (994KB)
Election Signs and Events Policy (283KB)
Public Submission and Question Time Policy (4MB)
Governance Rules

Election Campaign Donations Returns

In accordance with Section 306 of the Act, a person who was a candidate in the election must submit an Election Campaign Donation Return to the Chief Executive Officer, within 40 days of election day.

The Return is to contain prescribed details in respect of any gifts received during the donation period by a candidate or on behalf of a 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 (being $500).

A candidate is not required to specify the prescribed details of an amount in a return if the amount was a gift made in privacy capacity to the candidate for their personal use and the candidate has not used or will not use the gift solely or substantially for the purpose related to the election. This also includes a gift made on behalf of the members of an unincorporated association.

Two or more gifts made by the same person to or for the benefit of the candidate are to be taken as one donation.

Election Campaign Donation returns are a matter of public record and are available for inspection, upon application at Council’s office until the entitlement date of the next General Election.

A person who fails to give a return, or gives a return that contains particulars that are false will be guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding 60 penalty units. 

Election Period (Caretaker)

The Election caretaker period begins on the last day that nominations can be received and ends at 6pm on Election Day i.e. from 12pm Tuesday 22 September 2020 until Saturday 24 October 2020.

Prospective candidates are encouraged to attend or view a Council meeting. Details are available on the Council and Committee Meetings page.

Questions in relation to the Council elections should be directed to Louise Bugiera, Governance Legal Advisor or Michelle Tipton, Co-ordinator Governance at governance@frankston.vic.gov.au. 

Election Period Policy

Frankston City’s Election Period Policy sets out the restrictions, requirements and expectations that apply during the period leading up to an election.  

Election Period Policy 2020

You can also request a copy of the policy from Council’s Governance team at Council: governance@frankston.vic.gov.au

New Ward Structure for Council Elections 2020

Eight (8) councils will change to Single Member Wards for the 2020 elections.

New ward boundaries for the eight (8) councils are informed by modelling by the Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC). These boundaries ensure each councillor represents roughly the same number of voters.

Frankston City will still maintain the three (3) Wards for the upcoming 2020 Elections. This will change in 2024 to single member wards.

Contact Us

Frankston City Council
30 Davey Street
Frankston 3199
P. 1300 322 322
E. info@frankston.vic.gov.au

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