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. Hobsons Bay elects one councillor for 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 Hobsons Bay votes
- 7 wards, one councillor each; preferential countAltona, Altona Meadows, Altona North, Laverton, Spotswood, Williamstown and Williamstown North. The structure was set by the VEC's 2023–24 electoral structure review and first used in 2024. 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.
- 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) | First preferences | Turnout |
|---|---|---|---|
| Altona | Daria Kellander | 43.46% | 83.07% |
| Altona Meadows | Diana Grima | 53.87% | 84.73% |
| Altona North | Rayane Hawli | 42.59% | 80.57% |
| Laverton | Paddy Keys-Macpherson | 59.28% | 79.22% |
| Spotswood | Kristin Bishop | 21.09% | 81.99% |
| Williamstown | Lisa Bentley | 57.39% | 83.03% |
| Williamstown North | Michael Disbury | 54.08% | 83.43% |
2024 Hobsons Bay City Council election: candidate elected in each ward, first-preference share and voter turnout. Source: Victorian Electoral Commission, 2024 results (finalised). Full first-preference counts and preference distributions are on the VEC page.
In Altona, Altona North and Spotswood no candidate won more than half of the first preferences, so the result was decided after preferences were distributed; the VEC page shows each step.
Sources — check it yourself
- Victorian Electoral Commission — 2024 Hobsons Bay City Council election results · Nov 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
- Victorian Electoral Commission — Hobsons Bay City Council (electoral structure) · 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.