Western Australia’s Local Government Extraordinary Elections were held last week, with the Western Australian Electoral Commission (WAEC) confirming all results now officially declared across 17 contested elections.

Polls closed at 6pm on Thursday 26th and Saturday 28th March, with counting getting underway immediately after closing at the counting places to deliver timely outcomes for communities.

More than 14,500 postal vote packages have already been returned for the upcoming Local Government Extraordinary Elections, with the Western Australian Electoral Commission urging remaining voters to act quickly to ensure their vote is counted.

Voters whose local government is holding an Extraordinary Election this month must ensure their completed postal vote is received by 6.00pm on election day to be included in the count.

Electors are reminded to:

Are you eligible to vote in the South Australia State Election?

If you’re in WA, you can cast your vote in this election at the WA Electoral Commission's Perth office: Level 2, 66 St Georges Terrace, Perth. 

Voting is open until Friday 20 March on weekdays between 8.30 am to 4.30 pm. 

Postal voting packages are now on their way to enrolled voters in the 14 Local Governments holding Extraordinary Elections on 26 and 28 March.

Western Australia Electoral Commissioner Dennis O’Reilly is encouraging all Western Australians to vote early and correctly.

“Voting in the Local Government elections is your chance to help shape your community, and following the correct process protects the integrity of your vote and the election overall,” said Commissioner O’Reilly.

To make your vote count:

Western Australians are encouraged to consider nominating as a candidate in the upcoming extraordinary local government elections. These elections, all of which will be conducted by post, will take place across 17 local government districts in March.

Extraordinary elections are held to fill vacancies that arise between ordinary election cycles, for example, when a councillor resigns or is no longer eligible to serve, or if there were not enough candidate nominations to fill vacancies during the ordinary elections.

The Minister for Electoral Affairs, the Hon. David Michael MLA has confirmed the appointments of Dennis O’Reilly as Electoral Commissioner and Rebecca Hamilton as Deputy Commissioner of the Western Australian Electoral Commission.

Rebecca Hamilton will commence as Deputy Commissioner on 1 January 2026, while Dennis O’Reilly will assume the role of Electoral Commissioner on 31 January 2026, following the conclusion of Robert Kennedy’s term on 30 January 2026. Both appointments are for a five-year term.

The Western Australian Electoral Commission (WAEC) has published the annual returns for the 2024–25 financial year.

The Western Australian Electoral Commission (WAEC) has established an Expert Advisory Committee to guide a program of electoral reform following recommendations of the Special Inquiry into the 2025 WA State Government Election.

The Western Australian Electoral Commission (WAEC) has released its formal response to the Special Inquiry into the Planning and Delivery of the 2025 State General Election.

The WAEC welcomed the findings of the Special Inquiry and acknowledges the valuable guidance it provides. Following a detailed review, the WAEC has confirmed its support, or support in principle, for all recommendations within its scope and is committed to implementing them leading up to the 2029 State General Election.