Enrolling to vote

To vote in the local government election, you must be enrolled on either the State Electoral Roll (Residents Roll) or the City of Vincent Non-resident Owners and Occupiers Roll. Enrollments closed on 25 August 2023.

All local residents and business owners/occupiers are encouraged to enrol to vote.

To qualify each owner or occupier must:

• be enrolled on the State or Commonwealth Electoral Roll
• own or occupy rateable property in the electorate
• have been on the last electoral roll prepared under the Local Government Act 1960 for that electorate
• have owned or occupied rateable property in the electorate since that roll was prepared

Voting in a local government election is not compulsory in Western Australia however all electors are strongly encouraged to vote.

Check your enrolment

Enrolments to vote in the local government election closed on 25 August 2023. Check you are enrolled to vote by visiting the Western Australian Electoral Commission website.

Eligibility

Residents

If you are enrolled to vote in a State or Federal election you are already enrolled. 

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 as detailed below.

To enrol to vote for Commonwealth, State and Local Government elections you need to be eligible to enrol and complete an enrolment form and return it to the Commission. 

You can enrol online or collect an enrolment form from:

• the Commission’s office
• any AEC office
• post offices

Enrolment forms need to be signed and returned to the Commission, as per the instructions on the form.

Forms must be completed and reach a Divisional Returning Officer in Western Australia by 5pm, Friday 25 August 2023. 

Non-Resident Property Owners

You may be eligible to vote in local government elections if you are on the State or Commonwealth electoral roll and own rateable property in the City, but do not live there.

All eligible electors are able to vote once in any ward for which they are enrolled. If there are more than two co-owners or occupiers in rateable property (including a body corporate or business), two eligible electors can be nominated to represent the group of owners or occupiers.

Occupiers 

You may be eligible to vote in Council elections if you are on the State or Commonwealth electoral roll and occupy rateable property in the City (by leasing or renting). If there are more than two co-owners or occupiers in rateable property (including a body corporate or business), two eligible electors can be nominated to represent the group of owners or occupiers.

Please review the eligibility criteria for occupiers below: 

• Occupiers do not have continuous enrolment and should contact the City to confirm their status.
• To be eligible to enrol as an occupier, you must have a right of continuous occupation under a lease, tenancy agreement or other legal instrument.
• This must be for at least the next three months following the date of the application to enrol.
• Occupiers and occupier nominees remain on the roll for a period of two elections after their enrolment is accepted.
• They are then taken off the roll six months after the second election.
• They must then re-enrol if they wish to continue as electors.

Please complete the application below to register as non-resident property owner or non-owner property resident.

Form 2 Enrolment Eligibility Claim - Non-resident property owner/occupier

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.

For a corporate body to be eligible it will need to follow the below steps:

• A body corporate that owns or occupies rateable property may nominate two people to go on the roll, who are on either the State or Commonwealth electoral roll.
• The nominees remain on the roll until the property is either sold or the corporate body changes its nominees.
• A body corporate, which owns or occupies rateable property, may nominate two persons to vote on their behalf.  
• The nominees must be on either the State or Commonwealth electoral rolls.  
• If the body corporate owns properties in more than one ward the same nominees must apply for both wards.  The nominees remain on the roll until the property is either sold or the corporate body changes its nominees.  
• The application form is to be signed by an officer of the body corporate.

Form 2A - Application to Register a Nominee for a Body Corporate

The body corporate may make a claim for eligibility using this form at any time.

Joint owner and occupiers

If a rateable property is owned or occupied by more than two people:

• The majority may nominate two people from their group to go on the roll.
• The nominated people must be either on the State or Commonwealth electoral roll.
• The nominees remain on the roll until the property is either sold or the nominees change.

Form 2B - Application to Register a Nominee for Co-Owners or Co-Occupiers 

All, or a majority of, owners or occupiers may make a claim for eligibility using this form at any time. Please note that if you are applying to vote as an occupier of a property the City may request a copy of your lease agreement showing that you have the right to occupy the property for at least the next three months.