Elections

2025 Election Candidates

Local Government Election 2025

The Town of Cottesloe Council has nine Elected Members, including the Mayor. All Councillors and the Mayor represent the entire district of Cottesloe.

Local government elections are held every two years on the third Saturday in October. The next election is being held on Saturday, 18 October 2025.

Councillors, including the Mayor, are elected for four-year terms in Western Australia. Every two years, half the Council is up for election.

If the number of candidates for vacancies is equal to the number of vacancies, candidates are elected unopposed. If there are more candidates than vacancies, an election will proceed.

Local government elections in Western Australia are decided using an optional preferential voting system. More about optional preferential voting can be found here.

The Town of Cottesloe has appointed the Western Australian Electoral Commissioner to conduct a postal election for it in 2025.

Electoral rolls for the 2025 local government election will close at 5.00pm, Friday 22 August 2025. All electors should check their enrolment details are up to date before rolls close.

For postal elections, the Western Australian Electoral Commission will post all eligible electors a postal voting package approximately three weeks prior to polling day. The package will include a list of candidates, ballot papers, instructions on how to vote and a Declaration. To vote, follow the instructions included in the package.

The Returning Officer must receive completed postal voting packages before 6.00pm on polling day, 18 October 2025. If postal voting packages cannot be returned by post in time, they can be delivered by hand to a polling official.

Voting in a local government election is not compulsory in Western Australia. All electors are strongly encouraged to vote.

Previous Results

The results from the local government ordinary election held on 21 October 2023 are available here.

Eligibility to Vote

Residents

Update your enrolment through the WA Electoral Commission website.

Your postal address must be up to date with the Western Australian Electoral Commission to ensure you receive your postal election package.

Non-Resident Owners or Occupiers

The Local Government Act 1995 extends the opportunity for eligible non-resident owners and occupiers to vote in local government elections. Information about who falls within the meaning of a non-resident owner and occupier is explained in Local Government Guideline 25 - Owners and Occupiers Enrolment Eligibility Claims.

Non-resident owners typically remain on the Town's Owners and Occupiers Roll until the property is sold.

Non-resident occupiers remain on the roll for two ordinary elections plus six months, or until the lease expires.

To check if you are on the Town of Cottesloe Owners and Occupiers Roll, please email the Town at town@cottesloe.wa.gov.au.

Non-resident owners or occupiers, who wish to make a claim for eligibility to vote, must complete the relevant form and provide any additional information required for the claim to be assessed.

The eligibility claim form used will depend on the type of claim being made:

Form 2 - Enrolment Eligibility Claim - Owner or Co-owner

Form 2A - Enrolment Eligibility Claim - Occupier or Co-occupier

Form 2B - Enrolment Eligibility Claim Nomination by Group of Owners/Occupiers

Form 2C - Enrolment Eligibility Claim Nomination by Body Corporate

Blank eligibility claim forms can also be found in Appendix 1 (pages 32-41) of the Local Government Guideline 25 - Owners and Occupiers Enrolment Eligibility Claims publication.

Completed claims forms, addressed for the attention to the Town's Chief Executive Officer can be emailed to town@cottesloe.wa.gov.au.

Claims will be assessed and claimants advised of the outcome.

Information for Candidates

Council members include Councillors and the Mayor.

Council members play a vital leadership role in the Town of Cottesloe. They work together to create and implement the community's vision, strategic direction and values. They make decisions about funding, policies and projects for Cottesloe.

There are four Councillor vacancies and a Mayoral vacancy to be filled as a result of the 2025 local government election. Those elected will represent the entire district of Cottesloe as wards were abolished in 2023.

If you would like to make a difference in your local community and participate to local decision making, then consider becoming a candidate for election as a Council member in Cottesloe. Elections will be held on Saturday 18 October 2025.

Nominations

Nominations for candidates in the 2025 local government election open on Thursday 28 August 2025 and close at 4pm on Thursday 4 September 2025.

The Western Australian Electoral Commission has a Nomination Builder on its website. A step-by-step instructional video is available guiding users through how to use the Nomination Builder effectively.

Disclosure of Electoral Gifts

Candidates have a duty to disclose any electoral gifts that are received or promised during the disclosure period. The disclosure period commences six months before election day and ends on a day which will depend on whether a candidate is successfully elected or not.

Electoral Materials

Electoral material (including material published on the internet) must state the name and address of the person who authorised the material and the name and address of the person who published the material (s4.87 Local Government Act 1995).

Further information about authorisation requirements can be found on the West Australian Electoral Commission website here.

Code of Conduct

The Town's current Council Members, Committee Members and Candidate Code of Conduct applies to candidates in local government elections. It is recommended candidates for election as a council member become familiar with its provisions.

Electoral Gifts

What is a Gift?

Part 5A of the Local Government (Elections) Regulations 1997 defines a gift in relation to local government elections to mean a disposition of property, or the conferral of any financial benefit, made by one person in favour of another. A gift can include a gift of money, a gift which is non-monetary but of value, a gift in kind, the payment of an inadequate financial consideration or the receipt of a discount (where the difference or discount is more than $300 worth), financial or other contribution to travel, the provision of a service for no consideration or for inadequate consideration, and a firm promise or agreement to give a gift at some future time.

Disclosures

Candidates in local government elections must disclose to the Town's Chief Executive Officer, gifts valued at $300 or more, received or promised, during the disclosure period. Gifts, received or promised, valued at less than $300 must also be disclosed if the gift is one of two or more gifts received from the same person, the cumulative value of which is $300 or more.

The Town's Chief Executive Officer is required to publish an up-to-date Electoral Gift Register on the Town's website. Disclosures are kept on the register for four years from the relevant election day.

Disclosure Period

The disclosure period during which electoral gifts, received or promised, must be disclosed, commences six months before election day. The end date of the disclosure period will depend on whether a candidate is successfully elected or not.

How to make disclosures

All disclosures are to be made on a Form 9A Disclosure of Gifts Form and delivered to the Town of Cottesloe Chief Executive Officer. Completed forms must be delivered within three days of receipt or promise of the gift, once candidate nominations are made to the Returning Officer.

Completed forms can be emailed to town@cottesloe.wa.gov.au or hand delivered to the Town's Administration Centre at 109 Broome Street, Cottesloe.

Election Signs

An election sign is any sign which advertises any aspect of a forthcoming local government election and can include promoting a registered candidate.

An election sign must contain the name and address of the person authorising the sign and the name and business address of the printer as is required by section 4.87 of the Local Government Act 1995. Further information about authorisations can be found on the Western Australian Electoral Commission website here.

Town of Cottesloe

Election signs can be placed within the Town providing they are:

erected at least 30m from any intersection;
free standing and not being affixed to any existing sign, post, power or light pole, or similar structure;
placed so as not to obstruct or impede the reasonable use of a thoroughfare, or access to a place by any person;
placed so as not to obstruct or impede the vision of a driver of a vehicle entering or leaving a thoroughfare or crossing;
maintained in good condition;
erected after a local government election is officially announced;
removed within 24 hours of the close of polls on voting day;
not placed within 100m of any works on the thoroughfare;
securely installed;
not an illuminated sign;
not incorporating reflective or fluorescent materials; and
not displaying only part of a message which is to be read with other separate signs in order to obtain the whole message.

Election signs do not require local government approval. Therefore, as long as the signs comply with the requirements above, a sign can be installed without notifying the Town.

Private Property

An election sign may be erected on private property with the approval of the property owner, such approval to be obtained before the sign is erected.

Main Roads WA Requirements

Main Roads Western Australia provides information about signage on State road reserves. Please see Main Roads WA Policy and Application Guidelines for Advertising Signs for more information.

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