Council elections are held every four years and all councillors, the mayor and deputy mayor are elected for four-year terms.
It is important to note that from the 2026 Council elections the number of Councillors elected for the Huon Valley Council will reduce from 9 to 7.
The next local government elections are due for October 2026 with the following timetable:
- 9 am Monday 7 September – Nominations open
- 6 pm Thursday 10 September – Enrolment closes
- 12 noon Monday 21 September – Nominations close
- 12 noon Tuesday 22 September – Nominations announced
- From Monday 5 October – Ballot packs delivered by post
- 2 pm Tuesday 27 October – Close of poll
- From 9 am Wednesday 28 October – Counting commences and results released as and when they become available
The Tasmanian Electoral Commission (TEC) is responsible for the supervision of local government elections. The Electoral Commission appoints returning officers to run the election with the assistance of Council Officers.
Voting booths will also be available at the Council’s Customer Service Centre at 40 Main Street, Huonville during the election period.
More information for candidates regarding the Elections can be found at the TEC website: www.tec.tas.gov.au/local-government/elections-2026/index.html
Candidate and Councillor Induction Information will also be included on this page through August 2026. Intending candidates are encouraged to regularly review this page for updates.
Enrolment information
If you are currently on the State Electoral Roll for State and Federal Elections for your address in the Huon Valley Municipal Area you are automatically on the Local Government Roll.
To check your enrolment on the Electoral Roll please visit the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) website at www.aec.gov.au and click on the “Check Enrolment” button. An enrolment form can also be obtained from that website or by calling the AEC on 132 326 or from any post office.
You are also eligible to enrol on the “General Manager’s Roll” if you:
- Own land within the municipal area, but you do not live in the area and are registered on the State Electoral Roll at the address outside of the area, or
- Occupy land within the municipal area, but are not eligible to be on the State roll for the area –
Enrolment Form (General Manager’s Roll – Individual) or - Are the nominated representative of a corporate body that owns or occupies land in the Huon Valley – Enrolment Form (General Manager’s Roll – Corporate)
Compulsory Voting
Since the 2022, voting in Local Government elections is compulsory for all eligible electors on the State roll.
Please note that compulsory voting does not extend to electors on the General Manager’s (GM) roll.
Voting System
Council elections are conducted by postal ballot.
All elections for councillor positions are required to be conducted by using a multi-member proportional representation electoral system. This is directly modelled on the Hare-Clarke system used for Tasmanian House of Assembly elections.
A feature of the Hare-Clarke electoral system is that vacant seats are filled by recount rather than by elections.
Under the postal ballot system there is a polling period rather than a single polling day.
Electoral Signage Information for Candidates
Huon Valley Council requirements
The following conditions apply to the erection of election signs in any part of the Huon Valley municipal area.
By-law Provisions
Clause 29 of the Council’s Huon Valley Municipal Area By-law 2026 prohibits a person from erecting or displaying an election sign (referred to in the By-law as an electoral sign) on or in any Council property.
Council property includes any owned or managed land and includes Council’s roads.
An infringement notice may be issued for a fine of 1 PENALTY UNIT (a Penalty Unit is currently $213).
Council’s Authorised Officers may remove signs from Council property and these will only be returned on payment of Council’s costs of removal and storage of the signs as provided within the By-law and fees and charges set by the Council.
Planning Scheme Provisions
Election signs are also regulated under the Tasmanian Planning Scheme Incorporating the Huon Valley Local Provisions Schedule.
Under the Planning Scheme, an Election Sign means an impermanent sign identifying candidates or promoting a political party for Local, State or Federal Government elections.
In summary, an election sign is exempt from requiring a planning permit provided that all of the following apply:
- The sign must not be erected more than 8 weeks before the polling date – For the 2026 election, the Polling commences 5 October 2026 therefore Elections Signs must not be placed before 10 August 2026.
- The sign must not encroach on any road or other public land (means land owned or managed by the Crown, a State Authority or a Council).
- The election signage has a maximum area of 1.5m2
- Election signs must be removed within 7 days after the polling date – For the 2026 election, the Polling closes 27 October 2026 therefore Elections Signs must be removed before 4 November 2026.
Electoral signs that exceed the above requirements will require planning approval to be issued by the Council.
An infringement notice may be issued for a fine of 15 PENALTY UNITS in respect of an individual and 75 PENALTY UNITS in respect of a corporation.
Council may also give notice to the person who has placed an electoral sign, or to the owner of the land on which the sign is placed, in breach of a Planning Scheme provision requiring removal of the sign or Council may take all action necessary to remove the sign and recover the costs of doing so from the person or the owner. See section 48 of the Land Use Planning and Approvals Act 1993.