The Council is made up of 11 Elected Members: the Mayor and 10 Councillors. This year is the first year electors will directly elect the Mayor. There are also four Councillor positions up for election. One position in each ward:
- North Ward
- Central Ward
- West Ward
- South Ward
How do I become a Councillor?
To nominate to become an Elected Member (whether that be the Mayor or a Councillor), you must:
- be 18 years of age or older
- be an elector of the district (if you are only an elector because you are a nominee of a company, you are not eligible to stand as a candidate)
- complete the mandatory Local Government candidate induction eLearning module prior to nominating, available through the Department of Local Government website.
Find out more about eligibility to nominate as a Councillor on the Western Australian Electoral Commission's website.
How do I nominate to be a Councillor?
Nominations for the local government elections open Thursday 31 August 2023 and close 4pm on Thursday 7 September 2023.
Candidates must complete their nomination details and profile, print the completed form and lodge it with the Returning Officer.
The Western Australian Electoral Commission has a Nomination Builder you can use to electronically complete your nomination form and candidate profile.
What do I do as a Councillor?
The City has prepared a Candidate Information Pack, which includes details of the roles and responsibilities of Councillors.
Candidate Information Pack
Visit the Department of Local Government website to read about the role of a Council member.
Candidate Information Session
The City is hosting a joint Candidate Information Session with the Town of Bassendean. This event is free to attend.
Date and time: Saturday 19 August from 10.30am to 12pm
Location: Embleton Room, City of Bayswater Civic Centre, 61 Broun Ave, Morley
Prospective candidates interested in nominating as a Councillor are encouraged to come along and ask any questions.
Attendees will hear presentations from WALGA and an existing Councillor, and be able to meet with the City’s appointed Returning Officer.
To register for the Candidate Information Session, visit the Eventbrite page:
REGISTER NOW
Councillor Nomination Period Frequently asked questions
What is the Councillor Nomination Period? The official Councillor Nomination Period is from Thursday 31 August to 4pm, Thursday 7 September.
Prior to nominating, an elector must have completed the mandatory Local Government candidate induction eLearning module available on the Department of Local Government's website.
The Returning Officer will provide candidates with relevant forms and information. Nominations can only be made to the Returning Officer during the designated nomination period.
In order to nominate, you must complete:
- a nomination form;
- a profile of the candidate, prepared in accordance with the regulations;
- a nomination deposit of $100; and
- a photograph (optional).
If a candidate receives more than 5% of the total vote, the $100 nomination fee will be refunded.
How do I know if I am eligible to nominate? In order to nominate, you must be registered as a voter for the district in which you are standing as a candidate.
Any person who is on the City of Bayswater’s electoral roll as a resident or non-resident owner or occupier of rateable property within the City (and is not disqualified) may be a candidate.
You do not need to live in the ward for which you would like to nominate.
For more information, contact the City’s Governance team on 9272 0614.
Where will my name be in the ballot? At the end of the Candidate Nomination Period on 7 September 2023, a ballot draw will be held in the Embleton Room at 4.30pm.
The purpose of this ballot draw will be to confirm the position of names (i.e. 1, 2, 3. etc). This will be undertaken by the City’s Returning Officer.
All candidates, existing Elected Members and the general public are invited to attend the ballot draw.
Once ballot details are confirmed, they will be sent to the WAEC, which will start printing the ballot papers.
What if I don’t receive my ballot papers? Every person on the roll will be issued with a ballot paper by mail and invited to complete the ballot paper and return it by 6pm on election day.
A replacement package can be issued if ballot papers have not been received within a week of being mailed out or have been lost or destroyed.
Staff will be available at the City’s Civic Centre to assist during the voting period to issue any required replacement packages.
Please attend the Civic Centre to obtain a new ballot paper.
What happens on election day? City staff will accept ballot papers up until 6pm on election day. At 6pm, the Returning Officer will commence the count, which can be observed in the Embleton Room.
Candidates can also appoint a scrutineer to represent them in observing procedures associated with the conduct of the election.
The City’s Returning Officer will be accepting applications for scrutineers once the Candidate Nomination Period has closed.
When will I find out the result? Counting the votes will begin on election night but may not be completed until the following day or the day after. The Returning Officer will declare results as and when they become available. The City will update its website and social media with the results.
Who can I contact for more information? The City’s Council elections webpage will be updated regularly throughout the election.
For more information, contact the City’s Governance team on 9272 0614.