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 roll, and you may be fined if you don't vote. Greater Bendigo elects one councillor for each of its 9 wards. A by-election is under way in Lockwood Ward.
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
- Lockwood Ward by-election (October 2026)
- Voting closes 6pm Friday 2 October 2026The VEC is holding the by-election 'after the death of Councillor Donna Nicholas' (vacancy date 8 July 2026, per the VEC). Voting is by post; ballot packs were mailed from Monday 14 September. Voters enrolled in Lockwood Ward at 4pm on Wednesday 22 July 2026 must vote, including council-enrolled voters. Six candidates are standing. The VEC lists Wednesday 14 October 2026 as the date earliest results are available. Election office: 36 Torrens Street, Marong; VEC phone 131 832.By-election details →
- Lockwood Ward by-election (March 2026)
- Donna Nicholas elected, 28 March 2026Held after Cr John McIlrath resigned in November 2025. Eight candidates stood; enrolment 10,533, turnout 81.14% (VEC, finalised).March 2026 results →
- 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 Greater Bendigo votes
- 9 wards, one councillor each; preferential countAxedale, Eppalock, Epsom, Golden Square, Kennington, Lake Weeroona, Lockwood, Ravenswood and Whipstick. This structure came from the VEC's 2023–24 electoral structure review. The Mayor is chosen by the councillors, not by voters.
- If a seat falls vacant
- By-electionIn a single-councillor ward, a vacancy with more than 6 months of the term left is filled by a by-election.
- Enrol / check enrolment
- Victorian Electoral CommissionProperty owners and occupiers who aren't on the state roll for the municipality may be council-enrolled voters; the council checks this on 1300 002 642.Check enrolment →
| Ward | Elected (2024) | Enrolment | Turnout |
|---|---|---|---|
| Axedale | Shivali Chatley | 9,887 | 86.98% |
| Eppalock | Aaron Spong | 10,660 | 80.49% |
| Epsom | Andrea Metcalf (unopposed) | — | No vote held |
| Golden Square | Karen Corr | 10,111 | 79.73% |
| Kennington | Abhishek Awasthi | 10,298 | 81.25% |
| Lake Weeroona | Thomas Prince | 9,845 | 77.02% |
| Lockwood | John McIlrath | 10,286 | 81.91% |
| Ravenswood | Damien Hurrell | 10,246 | 80.45% |
| Whipstick | Owen Cosgriff | 10,708 | 80.29% |
2024 Greater Bendigo City Council election: candidate elected in each ward, enrolment and voter turnout. Source: Victorian Electoral Commission, 2024 results (finalised). Full first-preference counts and preference distributions are on the VEC page. Lockwood Ward's 2024 councillor has since resigned (see above).
Sources — check it yourself
- Victorian Electoral Commission — Lockwood Ward by-election (October 2026) · Sep 2026
- Victorian Electoral Commission — Lockwood Ward by-election results, 28 March 2026 · Apr 2026
- Victorian Electoral Commission — 2024 Greater Bendigo City Council election results · Nov 2024
- Victorian Electoral Commission — Greater Bendigo City Council (electoral structure, 2023–24 review) · Sep 2026
- 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.