In the Northern Territory, local government elections are held on the fourth Saturday of August every four years. Please check the Northern Territory Electoral Commission (NTEC) website for more details on your council.
Find your local council area
You can find your local government area here.
Who are you voting for?
You will vote for one or more of the councillors who will represent you in local government and, depending on your council, the leader of that government, the mayor.
Local government in the Northern Territory consists of five municipal councils and 12 councils in regional and remote areas. Two municipalities (Darwin and Litchfield) and nine regional councils and one community government council are divided into smaller areas called wards.
Three municipalities (Alice Springs, Katherine and Palmerston) and two rural councils (Belyuen and Wagait) do not have a ward structure.
The leader in municipalities, generally called the mayor, is directly elected. In regional councils, the principal member may be elected or chosen by the councillors you elect.
The number of ordinary members varies from 6 to 14 per council and one to 5 per ward.
Small areas of land in the Northern Territory are not yet included under council arrangements. There are called unincorporated areas, see full list here.
The electoral system used in local government elections in the Territory is the proportional representation electoral system. You pick your first preference and then further preferences as 2,3 and so on. Each vote can be transferred between candidates in the order of your preferences. A candidate is elected when his or her total number of votes equals or exceeds a certain quota of votes available in your area.
How to vote
You must show a preference for every candidate listed on your ballot paper.
You must place the number 1 in the candidate square on the ballot paper for the person you want as your first choice. You must then place consecutively increasing whole numbers starting with the number 2 in the candidate square on the ballot paper for each of the other candidates until a number is placed in all squares on the ballot paper.
A cross, a tick or the figure one (1) is taken to be the first preference of a voter.
The correct way to vote:
Incorrect way to vote:
Where can I vote?
There are many options available for electors voting in local government elections. These include:
Click on the link to learn more.
