Elections & voting
NSW holds local government elections every four years. Voting is compulsory for enrolled residents, so it's worth knowing the date and keeping your enrolment up to date. Bourke's current councillors were elected at the September 2024 ordinary election for a term the council's own Annual Report records as ending 9 September 2028.
New to these terms? Read them in plain English
- Ward
- A subdivision of a council area that elects its own councillors.
- How the mayor is chosen
- Either elected directly by voters, or chosen by the councillors.
- Special Rate Variation (SRV)
- Permission for a council to raise rates by more than the peg.
- NSW Electoral Commission (NSWEC)
- Runs council elections and publishes the official results.
Election facts
- Next ordinary election
- Saturday 9 September 2028The statewide date for NSW local government elections; the council's Annual Report 2024/2025 states the current term ends 9 September 2028.
- Last election
- 14 September 2024Results for Bourke were declared on 1 October 2024.
- How often
- Every 4 years (the second Saturday of September)
- How Bourke votes
- Undivided (no wards); 10 councillors by proportional representationAt the 2024 election, 10 councillors were elected from 14 candidates and 1,733 residential and non-residential electors were enrolled. The councillors then elect the Mayor and Deputy Mayor from among themselves.
- Casual vacancies
- Filled by countback, not a by-electionWhen Cr Maxime Nina resigned, the NSW Electoral Commission filled the seat by redistributing preferences from the 2024 count; Victor Bartley was declared elected on 24 March 2026 without a fresh poll.
- Voting
- Compulsory for enrolled residentsNot voting can result in a fine.
- Enrol / check enrolment
- NSW Electoral Commission
Sources — check it yourself
Figures are current as at the dates shown and may change — always confirm with the linked source. See the notice at the bottom of the page for full details and how to report a correction.