STANDING FOR COUNCIL

WHAT IS LOCAL GOVERNMENT?

• It is the level of government that is closest to the people in your community• It is responsible for making sure that everyone in

the community has access to important local services• It helps to shape the

community’s future

WHY STAND FOR COUNCIL ?

• To contribute to the development and improvement of your community • To represent the interests of people in your

community• To make important decisions that impact on

the way people live in your area

WHY STAND FOR COUNCIL ?

Personal benefits include:• Increased understanding of the operation of

government at all levels• Increased confidence in communicating and

dealing with people• Increased knowledge of management

processes

REWARDS OF BEING A COUNCILLOR

•Making a contribution to the community• Satisfaction from being part of team•Varied and interesting work•Access to a wide range of people and

experiences•Opportunities to work with people in

regional or state wide networks

SKILLS OF A COUNCILLOR•Good communication and listening• Public speaking•Negotiation and conflict resolution• Community relations• Team work• Knowledge of meeting procedures• Basic financial management• Strategic planning and decision making• Time management

IMPORTANCE OF TIME MANAGEMENT

•Attending council and committee meetings• Preparing for meetings by reading

agenda, reports and other background documents•Attending community meetings and

functions

• Represents local government electors and other ratepayers and residents• Provides leadership and guidance to

community members• Facilitates communication between the

community and the council

RESPONSIBILITIES OF A COUNCILLOR

•Attends council meetings, and committee meetings as required• Participates in decision making•Acts in accordance with the Local

Government Act 1995, and with the Local Government (Rules of Conduct) Regulations 2007

RESPONSIBILITIES OF A COUNCILLOR

(continued)

WHAT DECISIONS DO YOU MAKE AS A COUNCILLOR?

•Developing a strategic vision for the future of the community• Establishing a plan for the local

government to meet that vision•Making decisions on land use planning•Overseeing the financial management

of the local government•Developing and reviewing local

government policies

WHO CAN NOMINATE?

You can nominate for council if you are:

• 18 years or older• an elector of the district (more on this later)

You are NOT eligible to nominate for council if you:• are a member of State or Federal Parliament• are insolvent under administration• are serving a prison sentence for a crime•have been convicted of a serious local government

offence within the last five years (unless the court waived the disqualification)

WHO CAN NOMINATE?(continued)

You are also NOT eligible to nominate for council if you:• are a member of another council • are subject to a court order which disqualifies you from

being a council member• are an elector as the nominee of a company• are already standing for a position on council (unless

standing for a position of publicly elected mayor or president)

WHO CAN NOMINATE?(continued)

WHO CAN NOMINATE?(continued)

You are an elector of the district if you:

(1) live in the district, and are on the State Electoral Roll for the address where you live

OR

WHO CAN NOMINATE?(continued)

You are an elector of the district if you:

(2) own rateable property in the district, live outside the district, and are on the State or Commonwealth Electoral Roll for the address where you live

OR

WHO CAN NOMINATE?(continued)

You are an elector of the district if you:

(3) occupy rateable property in the district (for instance, as a business owner), live outside the district, and are on the State or Commonwealth Electoral Roll for the address where you live.

WHO CAN NOMINATE?(continued)

Important note:

If you are an owner or occupier of rateable property, but do not live in the district, you need to make an application to the relevant local government to go on the roll.

THE CALL FOR NOMINATIONSThe Returning Officer for your local government’s elections will publish an advertisement, calling for nominations, between 20 August and 31 August 2011, in newspapers, local government offices and libraries.The notice will include: - The number of vacancies to be filled - The nomination place - The nomination period

THE NOMINATION PERIOD

The nomination period runs for one week, beginning on

Thursday 1 September 2011and ending at 4.00pm on

Thursday 8 September 2011.

HOW TO NOMINATE• Complete a nomination form (Form 8) OR ask an agent to

complete a form for you (Form 9). A nomination using Form 9 must be accompanied by a written authorisation from you.* All forms related to local government elections come from the Local Government (Elections) Regulations 1997, and are available from the Department of Local Government website, or your local government.

• Write a candidate profile.

• Give or send these to the Returning Officer with $80 as a deposit between 1 September and 8 September 2011. Remember that nominations close on 8 September 2011 at 4.00pm.

THE CANDIDATE PROFILECandidate profiles are displayed on local government notice boards.

Your profile:• must be written in English• must be no more than 150 words• must only include biographical information and statements about your policies or

beliefs• must not contain information that is false, misleading or defamatory• must be capable of being printed on a single A4 page• must include your full name and contact details• may include a recent head, or head and shoulders, photograph of passport size

PLANNING YOUR CAMPAIGN

• Find out if your election is:

* a Voting in Person electionor

* a Postal election

PLANNING YOUR CAMPAIGN(continued)

• In a Voting in Person election, electors generally vote in person at designated polling places on election day. (There are alternatives, but more on that later.)

•Voting in Person elections are usually conducted by the local government itself, with the CEO as Returning Officer.

PLANNING YOUR CAMPAIGN(continued)

• In a Postal election, voting packages are mailed to electors, who then fill in their ballot papers and return them by post.

• Postal elections are conducted by the Western Australian Electoral Commission, which also appoints the Returning Officers for these elections.

ALTERNATIVE VOTING METHODS FORVOTING IN PERSON ELECTIONS

• Early voting is available at the place nominated by the Returning Officer in the Election Notice.

• Postal voting is also available for Voting in Person elections, by making an application to the CEO of the relevant local government using Form 12.

• Absent voting is available at any local government office in Western Australia from the date of issue of the Election Notice.

Last day to enrol Friday 26 August 2011

Nominations open Thursday 1 September 2011

Nominations closeThursday 8 September 2011

at 4.00pm

Commencement of early and absent voting (only applies to

voting in person elections)

Publication of the Election Notice in The West Australian

newspaper

Close of early votingFriday 14 October 2011

at 4.00pm

ELECTION DAY!Saturday 15 October 2011

IMPORTANT DATES

PREPARING YOUR CAMPAIGN

•Make note of the important dates.• Prepare your campaign strategy.• Check your local government’s local

laws regarding election signs.

PREPARING YOUR CAMPAIGN(continued)

•All election material must display the name and address of the person who authorised it.•All election material must display the

name and address of the person or business responsible for printing it.

CAMPAIGNINGVoting in Person elections

• Election campaigning peaks on election day.•Most voters vote on election day.• Electors may not know about the

election.• You may need to appoint campaign

assistants at polling places on election day.

CAMPAIGNINGPostal elections

Campaigning needs to start early as:• 50% of electors vote within 2 days of voting

packages being mailed to them.• 60% of electors vote within a week of voting

packages being mailed to them.• only a small number of electors hand in their

votes at a polling place on election day.

CAMPAIGNINGStrategies include:• getting to know your area and your neighbours• telephoning people you know• expanding your 150 word profile in material given to your electors• making contact with local organisations• responding to issues raised by electors• giving interviews to local media• advertising in local newspapers• developing a website• distributing leaflets and pamphlets

DECLARING DONATIONS

Both you, and your donors, must disclose any donations:• of $200 or more in value• given, or promised, within 6 months prior to election day

Disclosures must be made in writing on the Disclosure of Gifts form (Form 9A) which is to be lodged with the CEO of the local government.

DECLARING DONATIONS(continued)

On nominating for council, you and your donors must disclose any existing gifts, or promises of gifts, within 3 days.Any gifts or promises made after this must be disclosed within 3 days of being made.

Any gift of $200 or more received from an unidentified donor is to be provided to the CEO for disposal.

APPOINTING SCRUTINEERSA candidate is not permitted in the polling place other than to cast a vote.

• Scrutineers are authorised by the candidate to observe the conduct of the election at the polling place and to scrutinise ballot papers at the counting of votes.

• Scrutineers must not take custody of postal votes.• Appointment of scrutineers is made on Form 18,

available from the Returning Officer.

WHEN YOU’RE ELECTED

Support from the Department of Local Government for Mayors, Presidents and Councillors:

• Telephone and email advice• Publications• Post election support programs for elected members

DEPARTMENT OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Contact number: (08) 6552 1500Freecall: 1800 620 511 (Country Only)Advisory Hotline: 1300 762 511Email: lghotline@dlg.wa.gov.au

STAND FOR COUNCIL

Your VoteYour Community