Electoral structure reviews
The Minister for Local Government forms electoral representation advisory panels to review the electoral structures of local councils. These reviews are known as electoral structure reviews.
Recent reviews
The electoral structures of 39 local councils were reviewed over 2023-24.
The panel submitted its recommendations to the Minister for Local Government for consideration. The recommendations were accepted on 15 February 2024, and the changes were in place for the local council elections in October 2024.
Any enquiries should be directed to Local Government Victoria at lgv@ecodev.vic.gov.au or 136 186.
Why the reviews were held
The Local Government Act 2020 (the Act) introduced several changes, including rules about the types of electoral structure councils can have.
According to the Act, all councils in Victoria must be structured in the following way:
| Metropolitan, interface and regional city councils | Single-councillor wards |
| Large and small rural shire councils | Unsubdivided or Multi-councillor wards with equal number of councillors per ward or Single-councillor wards |
The structures of 39 local councils did not meet the requirements of the Act.
What the reviews achieved
Metropolitan, interface and regional city councils
These councils had to move to single-councillor ward electoral structures.
The panels considered:
- the appropriate number of councillors and wards for the council
- the location of ward boundaries
- the name of each ward
Rural shire councils
The panels considered if the council:
- had an appropriate number of councillors
- should be one large unsubdivided area or subdivided into wards.
About the electoral representation advisory panels
Fixed-term panels were formed by the Minister for Local Government to carry out electoral structure reviews.
We provided administrative and technical support to the panels. The Electoral Commissioner (or a delegate) must be a panel member.
The minister appointed the following panels:
Panel 1
- The Hon. Frank Vincent AO KC (Chair)
- Ms Liz Williams PSM
- Electoral Commissioner Mr Sven Bluemmel.
Panel 2
- Ms Julie Eisenbise (Chair)
- Mr Tim Presnell
- Deputy Electoral Commissioner Ms Dana Fleming.
Former panel members
- Former Electoral Commissioner Mr Warwick Gately AM
- Ms Máiréad Doyle
- Ms Janet Dore
- Mr Keegan Bartlett.
What a review does not cover
An electoral structure review does not:
- change the external boundaries of a local council
- divide local councils
- combine local councils.
What happens at the end of a review
We make a recommendation to the Minister for Local Government at the end of each review. It is up to the minister to review the recommendation and decide what is best for that council.
Once the minister has made their decision, any changes will apply at the next local council general elections.