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How To Vote
You can vote any time up to midday on Saturday, 11 October 2025.
Voting Systems
How Winners Are Decided (Simplified)
There are two potential voting systems used by councils to elect their representatives.
Your council will use one of the following:
First Past The Post (FPP): Put a tick beside the candidates you support. The ones with the most votes win. You don’t need to tick all candidates, only the ones you want.
Single Transferable Voting (STV): Rank candidates in order (1, 2, 3…). You don’t need to rank everyone, only the candidates you actually support. Your preferences can transfer if your top choice is elected or eliminated.
NOTE: The most important take-away for either system is that you do not need to vote for everyone, only the ones you support.
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Download Our Practical Guide For Impacting The 2025 Local Elections
Learn More
Why Local Body Elections Matter
With Local Body Elections 2025 fast approaching, the opportunity to enact meaningful change across the country is ripe for the taking.
Contrary to popular belief, local body politics plays a critical role in shaping the direction of the country. Councils make decisions that impact everything from planning laws and infrastructure to community values and personal freedoms.
But unlike national politics, local government is a space where everyday people can step in and make a meaningful difference. it's accessible, Influenceable, and winnable.
With elections just around the corner, we stand at a moment of rare opportunity. This is a chance not just to vote, but to get involved and influence outcomes—to help restore common sense and accountability at the level where it is most accessible.
This Council Watch Resource exists to help you seize this opportunity to influence the direction of local politics and your future—whether by voting, standing as a candidate, or simply getting involved and helping out.
True change doesn’t start at the top. It starts with us.
Voting
Why Voting Matters & How To Make It Count
Despite popular belief, decisions made by your council directly impact your daily life: how your area is managed, what values shape your community, and how free you are to live the life you choose.
Local government sets the tone for planning laws, infrastructure, and community priorities.
When you vote, you're not just ticking a box; you're helping shape the future of your neighborhood.
And here's what most people don't realise: local body elections are often decided by just a handful of votes. A few dozen ballots can tip the balance and determine who's making the rules in your community.
That means your vote carries real, disproportionate power.
The 2025 local body elections are your chance to demand accountability, restore common sense, and influence real outcomes right where you live.
How To Help
How To Make a Big Difference Helping Behind the Scenes
You don't need to be in the spotlight to move the needle. Local body elections are often decided by low total votes and even smaller margins. That means every conversation, every flyer, every email, and every helping hand carries real weight.
Furthermore, local body election campaigns aren’t powered by big machines, they’re powered by people like you: the organisers, the messengers, the practical doers behind the scenes. In a space where participation is low, your effort goes further.
Your support could help someone win a seat, shift public opinion, or bring clarity where confusion once ruled.
If you've been looking for a way to contribute meaningfully without having to run yourself, this is it. Because in local elections, small actions add up fast, and they often decide everything.
Download the Local Body Election Handbook and find out how you can play a pivotal role behind the scenes.
Action Tracker: Council Watch
This Council Watch campaign is an ‘Action Tracker' project by RCR. Action Tracker is a new initiative with the objective of keeping the government and industry accountable to the things they say and do.