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. In Lachlan Shire, though, most of the 2024 contest was settled without a ballot — four of the five wards had exactly as many nominations as seats.
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 Lachlan Shire votes
- Five wards (A to E); 2 councillors per ward by proportional representationThe ten councillors then elect the Mayor and Deputy Mayor from among themselves. Enrolment at 5 August 2024 was 866 (A), 890 (B), 835 (C), 907 (D) and 927 (E) — 4,425 electors across the shire.
- 2024: four wards uncontested
- Only Ward C went to a countWards A, B and D were declared uncontested on 14 September 2024, so their electors did not have to vote. Ward C had 3 candidates for 2 seats and was declared on 1 October 2024. Ward E received only one nomination, so one seat was filled and a by-election was required for the other.
- Ward E by-election
- Uncontested; declared 24 October 2024The NSW Electoral Commission received one nomination for the Ward E by-election scheduled for 23 November 2024, so it was uncontested and electors did not have to vote; Judith Bartholomew was declared elected by the Returning Officer on 24 October 2024 at the Lake Cargelligo office.
- Voting
- Compulsory for enrolled residentsNot voting can result in a fine. In an uncontested ward there is no ballot, so nothing is required of electors.
- Enrol / check enrolment
- NSW Electoral Commission
Sources — check it yourself
- NSW Electoral Commission — how local elections work
- Office of Local Government — become a councillor / election dates · Next: Sep 2028
- NSW Electoral Commission — 2024 Lachlan C Ward councillor result · Oct 2024
- NSW Electoral Commission — 2024 Lachlan E Ward councillor result · Sep 2024
- NSW Electoral Commission — Lachlan Shire (E Ward) by-election, nominations closed · Oct 2024
- Lachlan Shire Council — Council Elections
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.