COV Council and Mayor Elections
What You Need to Know
YOU can make a Difference - ENROL TO VOTE TODAY
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YOU can make a Difference - ENROL TO VOTE TODAY 〰️
Your voice matters! Local council elections are an opportunity for you to make a difference in your community by having a say in who represents you.
Vote and YOU can make a difference.
Find out more below.
What you need to know about Local Elections
To Vote in council elections, you must be on the electoral roll. You can get on the electoral roll in one of three ways:
Live in Vincent - including those renting
Own property in Vincent
Run a business in Vincent
The next council elections are in October 2025. Please note that elections in the COV are by POSTAL VOTE, so you need to send your vote in well in advance of the counting date. You will receive your voting forms in your letterbox.
If you are a business within the council, please be aware that your enrolment lapses every two years. You need to reapply as there is no reminder or notice to you when your enrolment expires. Each business is entitled to two voting representative who are not already on the electoral roll in the City of Vincent.
The COV Council is made up of 9 elected members - one mayor and 8 councillors - who are elected for 4 year terms.
Make sure you read the important information below and are enrolled to vote so that your vote can help make a difference.
INFORMATION FOR RESIDENTS
Can You Vote? How to Check Your Enrolment Status.
If you are on the State/Federal electoral roll for an address within the City of Vincent you will automatically be included in the Vincent roll.
If you have changed your address within the last few years, you MUST update your address with the Australian Electoral Commission.
If you have recently turned 18 years of age, you are now elgible to vote. You are not included on the electoral roll automatically. You MUST enrol to vote with the Australian Electoral Commission.
Important: ANY resident is eligible to vote, you DO NOT need to be a property owner. Anyone renting or living in the COV with a COV address on the electoral roll is eligible to vote.
How to Check Your Address on the Electoral Roll
You can visit the Electoral Commission and check your enrolment status here. Please note you must enter your name exactly as it appears on the electoral roll, including your middle name.
If you discover that you are not enrolled to vote, or your address is not correct, you can Enrol to Vote or make changes.
Information for PROPERTY OWNERS
If you own property in Vincent you may be entitled to vote in relation to that property. You must be on the State/Federal electoral roll and you must be an owner of the property. Up to two owners may receive votes for any single property – it there are more than two owners they must decide which two will get a vote.
In order to be included in the Electoral Roll you must complete a Form 2 (individual), Form 2A (Body Corporate) or Form 2B (Joint Owner) and return it to the City of Vincent. Eligibility expires when you sell the property.
Enrolments for the owner/occupier roll will close a few weeks before the election so it is a good idea to apply for enrolments now rather than leave it too late. More details can be found on the Vincent website.
Information for Businesses that OCCUPY Property
Businesses who rent or lease property are entitled to vote. Many business owners do not realise this and as a result are under-represented in the overall electoral vote. Make sure your voice is heard. The COV decisions affect your business. Recently CoV for example have stopped collecting commercial waste, modified parking arrangements near businesses and approved development of the largest carparks within the council. YOU need to be engaged in the process, it is important that you enrol to Vote NOW.
Requirements: You need to prove that you have the right of continuous occupation and that this extends for at least three months after an election. Did you know that up to two occupiers not already on the City of Vincent electoral role may receive votes for any single property. The only requirement is that the nominees must be on the State/Federal Electoral Roll, they can live anywhere. If there are more than two occupiers they must decide which two will get a vote.
In order to be included in the Electoral Roll you must complete a Form 2 (individual), Form 2A (Body Corporate) or Form 2B (Joint Owner) and return it to the City of Vincent.
Important: please note that eligibility to vote expires after two elections and you will need to reapply to be added to the roll.
Enrolments for the owner/occupier roll will close a few weeks before the election so it is a good idea to apply for enrolments now rather than leave it too late. More details can be found on the Vincent website.
Joint Ownership or Occupancy
People will only get a single vote no matter how many properties they have an interest in. For example, if you live in a ward and are a part-owner of a commercial property in that ward, you will only get a single vote.
However, if you own or occupy property as a corporation, that corporation is entitled to nominate up to two people to represent that corporation. The only requirement is that the nominees must be on the State/Federal Electoral Roll – they can live anywhere.
If you already live in Vincent (and are therefore entitled to a vote as a resident), and you run a business in Vincent, you are allowed to nominate a couple of people who live elsewhere to represent the company’s interests.
The rules are simple: you may only get one vote; businesses are entitled to nominate two people to vote on their behalf; multiple owners may nominate two of the owners to vote in relation to the property.
“Every election is determined by the people who show up.”
— Lary Sabato, American Political Scientist and Analyst