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.
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.
- Next ordinary election
- Saturday 9 September 2028
- Last election
- 14 September 2024
- How often
- Every 4 years (the second Saturday of September)
- How MidCoast votes
- No wards — 11 councillors elected at-large; Mayor chosen by councillorsVoters elect all 11 councillors from across the whole LGA (no wards); the councillors then elect the Mayor and Deputy Mayor from among themselves.
- 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.