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. Greater Geelong elects one councillor for each of its 11 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 election
- Saturday 26 October 2024Results were declared on 14 November 2024 (council page).
- How you vote
- By post — ballot packs are mailed to enrolled voters
- How Greater Geelong votes
- 11 wards, one councillor each; preferential countBarrabool Hills, Charlemont, Cheetham, Connewarre, Corio, Deakin, Hamlyn Heights, Kardinia, Leopold, Murradoc and You Yangs. 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. There has been none in Greater Geelong since 2024.
- Voting
- Compulsory for people on the state rollYou may be fined if you don't vote.
- Enrol / check enrolment
- Victorian Electoral CommissionCheck enrolment →
| Ward | Elected (2024) | Enrolment | Turnout |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barrabool Hills | Ron Nelson | 20,155 | 86.28% |
| Charlemont | Emma Sinclair | 19,029 | 81.16% |
| Cheetham | Melissa Cadwell | 18,274 | 80.86% |
| Connewarre | Elise Wilkinson | 18,293 | 84.44% |
| Corio | Anthony Aitken | 18,565 | 77.83% |
| Deakin | Andrew Katos | 19,812 | 83.89% |
| Hamlyn Heights | Eddy Kontelj | 18,375 | 84.05% |
| Kardinia | Stretch Kontelj | 18,592 | 81.26% |
| Leopold | Trent Sullivan | 19,033 | 85.39% |
| Murradoc | Rowan D. Story | 17,706 | 85.21% |
| You Yangs | Chris Burson | 18,060 | 83.61% |
2024 Greater Geelong 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.
Sources — check it yourself
- Victorian Electoral Commission — 2024 Greater Geelong City Council election results · Nov 2024
- Victorian Electoral Commission — Greater Geelong 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
- City of Greater Geelong — Mayor and councillors (2024 election, declaration and swearing-in dates) · 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.