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 — even in a shire where the last election did not need a ballot.
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 2028
- Last election
- 14 September 2024
- How often
- Every 4 years (the second Saturday of September)
- How Cobar votes
- Undivided (no wards); 12 councillors by proportional representationVoters across the whole LGA elect all twelve councillors; the councillors then elect the Mayor and Deputy Mayor from among themselves. At the 2024 election 2,836 electors were enrolled (as at 5 August 2024).
- The 2024 election was uncontested
- Exactly 12 candidates nominated for 12 seatsBecause nominations equalled vacancies there was no need to vote, and the NSW Electoral Commission declared all twelve candidates elected on 14 September 2024.
- Voting
- Compulsory for enrolled residentsNot voting can result in a fine. Where an election is uncontested, no vote is held and no penalty applies.
- 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.