Elections & voting
Victorian council elections are held every four years, and all voting is by post. The Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC) mails a ballot pack to every enrolled voter. Voting is compulsory for people on the state roll, and you may be fined if you don't vote. Central Goldfields elects one councillor in each of its 7 wards.
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.
Election facts
- Next general election
- Saturday 28 October 2028General elections fall on the fourth Saturday in October every 4 years, unless there are exceptional circumstances (VEC Report to Parliament, Oct 2025, p.20).
- Last general election
- Saturday 26 October 2024
- How you vote
- By post — ballot packs are mailed to enrolled voters
- How Central Goldfields votes
- 7 wards, one councillor eachFlynn, Maryborough Central, Maryborough East, Maryborough North, Maryborough West, Paddys Ranges and Tullaroop. This structure came from the VEC's 2023–24 electoral structure review and was first used in 2024. Before that the shire had four wards and seven councillors: a four-councillor Maryborough Ward plus Flynn, Paddys Ranges and Tullaroop. The Mayor is chosen by the councillors, not by voters.About the change →
- 2024: two wards uncontested
- Maryborough West and TullaroopIn each, only one candidate nominated, so the VEC declared that candidate elected unopposed and no vote was held. In Paddys Ranges Ward the result was decided on preferences: 610 votes to 571.
- If a seat falls vacant
- By-electionWith one councillor per ward, the VEC holds a by-election in that ward.Countbacks and by-elections →
- Enrol / check enrolment
- Victorian Electoral CommissionCheck enrolment →
| Ward | Elected (2024) | Turnout |
|---|---|---|
| Flynn | Liesbeth Long | 82.64% |
| Maryborough Central | Gerard Michael Murphy | 82.56% |
| Maryborough East | Jacob (Jake) Meyer | 76.40% |
| Maryborough North | Geoff Bartlett | 84.40% |
| Maryborough West | Grace La Vella | Uncontested |
| Paddys Ranges | Ben Green | 83.22% |
| Tullaroop | Anna De Villiers | Uncontested |
2024 Central Goldfields Shire Council election: councillor elected in each ward and voter turnout. Source: Victorian Electoral Commission, 2024 results (finalised). Full first-preference counts and preference distributions are on the VEC page.
Sources — check it yourself
- Victorian Electoral Commission — 2024 Central Goldfields Shire Council election results · Nov 2024
- Victorian Electoral Commission — Central Goldfields Shire Council (electoral structure) · Sep 2026
- Central Goldfields Shire Council — Council to move to single-councillor wards for 2024 election (22 Feb 2024) · Feb 2024
- Victorian Electoral Commission — Local council elections (postal voting, compulsory voting) · Sep 2026
- Victorian Electoral Commission — Report to Parliament on the 2024 local government elections (PDF, p.20) · Oct 2025
- Victorian Electoral Commission — Council countbacks and by-elections · Sep 2026
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.