Council elections

State-enrolled voters are automatically enrolled, and voting is compulsory. If you are a state-enrolled vote, that is the enrolment you use to vote. That means you must vote in the municipality in which you reside.

You must enrol and vote if you:

• are 18 years or older
• are an Australian citizen
• have lived at your address in Kingston for longer than one month.

This includes both renters and owner-occupiers.

For more information or to check your enrolment status, visit the VEC website

Some ratepayers can apply to become council-enrolled voters in Kingston if they are:

• a property owner, occupier or represent a corporation
• 18 or older
• not a state-enrolled voter within the Kingston area.

Becoming a council-enrolled voter is optional, but if you choose to enrol, you must vote in the elections or risk receiving a fine.

See the VEC website for more detailed examples of who can enrol as a council-enrolled voter.

The rules for council-enrolled voters have changed ahead of the 2024 council elections. These changes are explained below.

Owner ratepayer

Applying as an owner ratepayer is a one-time application process. Enrolling is optional.

You can apply to enrol in Kingston if you:

• own property and pay rates in the council area
• are 18 or older
• are not a state-enrolled voter who lives in Kingston.

This includes:

• Australian citizens who own a property in Kingston but do not live in the area (for example, an investment or a holiday home)
• non-citizens over 18 who own a property and live in Kingston.

Up to 2 ratepayers can apply to enrol per property, but each person only gets one vote.

If you choose to enrol as an owner ratepayer in the Kingston council elections, you must vote or you risk receiving a fine.

Apply to enrol

Occupier ratepayer

Occupier ratepayers must reapply at every general council election if they want to vote. Enrolling is optional.

You can apply to enrol in Kingston if you:

• pay rates for a property that you occupy but do not own
• are 18 or older
• are not a state-enrolled voter.

Up to 2 people per property can apply to enrol, but each person only gets one vote. 

If you choose to enrol as an occupier ratepayer in the Kingston council elections, you must vote or you risk receiving a fine.

Apply to enrol

Corporations

You can apply to enrol to vote on behalf of a corporation if you:

• are a director or company secretary of a corporation that pays rates (either as an owner or an occupier) in the council area
• have consented to being appointed as the corporation’s representative
• are not already a state-enrolled voter or council-enrolled voter for the same council.

Only one person can apply to enrol as the corporation’s representative. Enrolling to vote is optional.

Download the application form.

Owner ratepayer

If you no longer want to vote for that property, you can apply to council to take it off the council roll. If you sell your property, your council enrolment will automatically become invalid.

Occupier ratepayer

If you no longer want to vote for that property, you can apply to council to take it off the council roll.

Corporation

If you don’t want to vote for that property anymore, you can apply to resign your enrolment.

Owner ratepayer

Your enrolment does not expire. Once enrolled, you will stay enrolled, and you must vote in all future local council elections, including by-elections for Kingston. If you don't vote, you risk receiving a fine.

Occupier ratepayer

If you want to continue to vote as an occupier ratepayer in future general council elections, you will need to apply to enrol again. You will receive an invitation when it’s time to renew your enrolment.

Corporation

If you want to continue to vote as a corporation in future general council elections, you will need to apply to enrol again. You will receive an invitation when it’s time to renew your enrolment.

By-elections before October 2024

If you were a council-enrolled voter in Kingston at the 2020 local council general elections and your circumstances haven’t changed, you will be automatically enrolled for any by-elections that take place before October 2024. It is not compulsory for you to vote.

If you weren’t a council-enrolled voter in Kingston at the 2020 local council general elections, or your circumstances have changed, you can apply to enrol at any by-elections that take place before October 2024. It is not compulsory for you to vote.

If you want to vote in the next local council general election in October 2024, you will need to apply to enrol again.

By-elections after October 2024

If you apply to enrol for the local council elections in 2024, you will remain enrolled for any council by-elections up until 2028. It will be compulsory for you to vote.

Kingston Candidate Information Session

Interested in running for Council in the local government elections in October? Kingston is hosting a candidate information session that will provide information on the following:

• the City of Kingston & our ward structure
• the role and responsibilities of a Councillor & the Mayor
• Council meetings & other time commitments
• information on how to enrol & key election dates

Please note that this is an information session only and does not satisfy the requirements of the mandatory candidate training required under the Local Government Act 2020. Please visit Local Government Victoria for more information.

When: Wednesday, 24 July 2024

Where: In person at Ground Floor, Cheltenham Municipal Offices, 1230 Nepean Highway Cheltenham, 3192 or online

Time: 6.00pm to 7.30pm.

Register for the session

Under the Local Government Act 2020, we publish a summary of all Election Campaign Donation Returns on our website.

Donation Returns must be submitted by candidates within 40 days of the election.  

Read the Summary of Election Campaign Donation Returns(PDF, 71KB)  for the 2020 election.

State-enrolled: If you are a state-enrolled voter and reside in Kingston, you will automatically be enrolled to vote in the 2024 Kingston council elections. Voting is compulsory. You risk receiving a fine if you do not vote. You can check your enrolment status on the VEC website.

Council-enrolled: If you are eligible for council-enrolled voting, it is optional and not compulsory to enrol in the 2024 Kingston council elections. If you do choose to become a council-enrolled voter, you must vote or you risk receiving a fine.

If you own multiple rateable properties in Kingston, you can choose which property to enrol on the application. You are entitled to one vote per council.

• Up to 2 people per property can apply to vote as owner-ratepayers or occupier-ratepayers.
• Corporations that pay rates may appoint one representative to vote.

If you own a property in Kingston but currently live overseas, the VEC website has more information on how to enrol and vote. On the page, scroll down to 'Special enrolment options' and open the 'Living, traveling or working overseas' accordion. If you have any questions, you can contact the VEC on 131 832.