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. One local complication: the NSW Government has approved splitting this council into separate Cootamundra and Gundagai councils, and how the two successor councils will be constituted is part of the legal proclamation still being drafted.
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 Cootamundra-Gundagai votes
- Undivided (no wards); 9 councillors by proportional representationVoters across the whole LGA elect all nine councillors; the councillors then elect the Mayor and Deputy Mayor from among themselves. At the 2024 election, 9 councillors were elected from 11 candidates and 8,634 electors were enrolled; the result was declared on 1 October 2024.
- Demerger and future elections
- Arrangements for the successor councils are still being draftedThe Minister for Local Government approved the demerger in July 2025, and council is working to a target of both new councils operating from 1 July 2027. The proclamation that legally creates them — which would also set out governance arrangements — was still being drafted as at March 2026. Follow the council's demerger updates for the current position.
- 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.