2026 Local Government Extraordinary Elections

The WA Electoral Commission will be conducting Local Government Extraordinary Elections on Thursday 26 March 2026 and Saturday 28 March 2026 for some local governments.

Extraordinary elections are held for local governments that did not have enough candidate nominations to fill all vacancies during the 2025 Local Government Elections, or who have experienced a vacancy since those elections.

All elections will be conducted by post for the following Local Governments.

Thursday 26 March 2026 Saturday 28 March 2026
Shire of Gnowangerup Shire of Boyup Brook
Shire of Jerramungup City of Nedlands
City of Melville (Melville - Palmyra - Willagee Ward) Town of Port Hedland
Shire of Morawa  
Shire of Peppermint Grove  
Shire of Quairading  
Shire of Ravensthorpe      
Shire of Three Springs  
Shire of Yalgoo      
Shire of Yilgarn  
Shire of Donnybrook-Balingup   
City of Joondalup (North Central Ward)  
Town of Cottesloe  
Shire of Cranbrook

Quick links

Information for candidates 

Electoral Offences and complaints - click here for information about authorisation of electoral material, ballot paper handling and more

Resources to share with your community

Local Government Stakeholder Resources

26 March Election Notices - Click here to see key dates and notices for your local council election

28 March Election Notices - Click here to see key dates and notices for your local council election

Election timeline 26 March elections

Election timeline 28 March elections

Key dates

Nominations open:

3 February 2026 5 February 2026
Shire of Gnowangerup Shire of Boyup Brook
Shire of Jerramungup City of Nedlands
City of Melville Town of Port Hedland
Shire of Morawa  
Shire of Peppermint Grove  
Shire of Quairading  
Shire of Ravensthorpe      
Shire of Three Springs  
Shire of Yalgoo      
Shire of Yilgarn  
Shire of Donnybrook-Balingup  
City of Joondalup  
Town of Cottesloe  
Shire of Cranbrook  

Nominations close:

10 February 2026 12 February 2026
Shire of Gnowangerup Shire of Boyup Brook
Shire of Jerramungup City of Nedlands
City of Melville Town of Port Hedland
Shire of Morawa  
Shire of Peppermint Grove  
Shire of Quairading  
Shire of Ravensthorpe      
Shire of Three Springs  
Shire of Yalgoo      
Shire of Yilgarn  
Shire of Donnybrook-Balingup  
City of Joondalup  
Town of Cottesloe  
Shire of Cranbrook  

Postal elections: Elections packages (including ballot papers, candidate information and how-to-vote information) will be sent out in late February. 
 

Enrolment 

The Electoral roll has closed for these elections.

You can check your enrolment online.

How to vote 

Optional preferential voting is the voting system used in Local government elections. This means you have the choice to number the candidates in the order of your preference. You do not have to number all the boxes if you don’t want to. 

You have the choice to: 

  • vote for one candidate - by putting a 1 next to their name 
  • vote for some candidates - by numbering several candidates in the order of your preference 
  • vote for all candidates - in the order of your preference  
     

Who can vote

Residents 
All residents in a local government district who are enrolled on the State electoral roll are automatically enrolled on the corresponding local government roll. You must make sure you are correctly enrolled, and your details are up to date by the deadlines above to vote in the Local government elections. 

Owners and Occupiers 
People who own or occupy rateable property within a local government district, can apply to their local government to be included on the roll as an owner/occupier, as long as they are eligible electors.