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. Wellington has three wards — Northern, Central and Coastal — and each elects three councillors by proportional representation.
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 Wellington votes
- 3 wards × 3 councillors, proportional representationIn 2024, 16 candidates stood for the 9 seats: 4 in Central Ward, 6 in Coastal Ward and 6 in Northern Ward. The VEC adjusted all three ward boundaries in a 2024 review, before that election. The Mayor is chosen by the councillors, not by voters.
- If a seat falls vacant
- CountbackIn a ward elected by proportional representation, the VEC fills a vacancy by recounting the votes from the last election among the unsuccessful candidates who choose to take part. The last countbacks in Wellington were in the Northern Ward in May 2021 and November 2017; none has been needed this term (VEC council page, Sep 2026).How countbacks work →
- Enrol / check enrolment
- Victorian Electoral CommissionCheck enrolment →
| Ward | Candidate (order elected) | First preferences | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central | Scott Rossetti (1st) | 3,789 | 39.11% |
| Central | Liz Foat (2nd) | 3,173 | 32.76% |
| Central | Geoff Wells (3rd) | 1,659 | 17.13% |
| Coastal | Garry Stephens (1st) | 2,341 | 27.07% |
| Coastal | Cindy Madeley (2nd) | 1,928 | 22.30% |
| Coastal | Catherine Bannerman (3rd) | 1,370 | 15.84% |
| Northern | Edward Lowe (1st) | 3,004 | 33.10% |
| Northern | Carmel Ripper (2nd) | 1,574 | 17.34% |
| Northern | John Tatterson (3rd) | 1,424 | 15.69% |
2024 Wellington Shire Council election: the 9 candidates elected, by ward and in the order elected, with first-preference votes and share of the ward's formal vote. Central Ward: enrolment 12,401, formal votes 9,687, informal 216 (2.18%), turnout 79.86%. Coastal Ward: enrolment 10,796, formal 8,647, informal 345 (3.84%), turnout 83.29%. Northern Ward: enrolment 11,454, formal 9,075, informal 315 (3.35%), turnout 81.98%. Source: Victorian Electoral Commission, 2024 results (finalised). The other candidates' votes and the full distribution of preferences are on the VEC page.
Sources — check it yourself
- Victorian Electoral Commission — 2024 Wellington Shire Council election results · Nov 2024
- Victorian Electoral Commission — Wellington Shire Council (electoral structure, past countbacks, 2024 ward boundary review) · Sep 2026
- Wellington Shire Council — Council Elections · 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.