Published on Friday, 29 August 2025 at 10:00:00 AM

Nominations for the upcoming Local Government Elections opened yesterday (Thursday 28 August) and close at 4:00pm on Thursday 4 September.

The following information comes from the State Government and the WA Electoral Commission (WAEC).

About Local Government Elections

Refer to the resources on the State Government website for details about Local Government Elections, including:

• An introduction to local government and details about the role of a Council member
• Information on who can nominate such as eligibility and mandatory induction
• Advice relating to making an effective nomination, campaigning and what to include in your candidate profile (with examples)

Visit the State Government website

Election Process & Returning Officers

The conduct of each local election is managed by a returning officer. The Electoral Commissioner appoints returning officers for postal elections and in-person elections conducted by the WAEC. A list of these returning officers is available on the WAEC website.

If the local government decides to conduct the election, the chief executive officer of the local government is the returning officer, unless the local government decides to appoint another person to perform the function.

Refer to the following page to see notices, key dates and vacancies for your local council.

WAEC - Election Notices

How to Nominate

To nominate as a candidate for a local government election, the candidate must submit an application consisting of:

• a completed nomination form. For elections being run by the WAEC, it is recommended that candidates use the Nomination Builder (linked below) to complete their nomination form and construct their candidate profile.
• a candidate profile which must:
  • be in English
  • be no more than 1000 characters (including spaces)
  • not contain false, defamatory or misleading information
  • fit on an A4 page
  • include the candidate’s full name and contact information
  • a photograph, no larger than passport-sized and taken in the last six months (optional).
• a deposit of $100

Candidates may also provide a written statement in English, of up to 2,000 characters (including spaces) with their nomination paper (optional).

All nomination applications must be signed by the candidate in front of a witness.

The nomination application must be submitted to the Returning Officer during the nomination period.

As the Returning Officer may ask candidates to amend their nomination, it is recommended that candidates ensure they have allowed sufficient time to finalise any required changes before the close of nominations.

WAEC - Local Government Candidates

Other Candidate Resources

Refer to the following page on the WAEC website to learn more about what’s involved in becoming a candidate in the 2025 Local Government Elections, including:

• Information about candidate eligibility, how to nominate and disclosures
• A series of guides, as well as a Candidate Information Video and Candidate Information PowerPoint
• A Nomination Builder to help you prepare and submit your nomination profile
• Forms to be completed
• Social media advertising guidelines and resources

WAEC - 2025 Candidate Resources

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