2020 Local Government Elections
Queensland’s most recent local government quadrennial elections were held on Saturday, 28 March 2020. Elections were held for mayors and councillors across Queensland's 77 councils.
The ECQ delivered the elections based on advice from Queensland’s health authorities and experts regarding the impact of COVID-19. It put a range of protection measures in place.
The 2020 Local Government Elections Service Plan PDF (0.76 MB) gives an overview of the activities undertaken to deliver the elections. In light of the specific challenges faced by Aurukun voters, the ECQ developed an Aurukun Local Government Election Service Plan PDF (0.6 MB) .
Election resultsThe 2020 local government elections were held on Saturday, 28 March 2020. The election of all mayors and councillors has been finalised and results are available on the 2020 local government elections results page. View the election results notices. |
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Key election information
Information on the key stages of the election process are provided below:
The ECQ published the Notice of Election PDF (0.09 MB) on Saturday, 22 February 2020. View the full election timetable here PDF (0.07 MB).
The publication of the notice also signalled the start of the caretaker period for all councils. For more information about the caretaker period, please see the Department of State Development, Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning website.
Notice of Election The local government quadrennial elections will be held on Saturday, 28 March 2020. Polling booths will be open on election day from 8am to 6pm. Voting is compulsory. This notice is issued under section 25 of the Local Government Electoral Act 2011 – Calling for nominations. Candidate nominations are open from Saturday, 22 February 2020 and close at 12pm (noon) on Tuesday, 3 March 2020.
Enrol to vote or check your enrolment details.
Information about the election, including election day polling booths, early voting locations and hours, and postal voting applications, will be available on the ECQ website or by calling 1300 881 665. Electoral Commission of Queensland T: 1300 881 665 (8am – 6pm Monday to Friday and 9am – 4pm Saturday) |
The ECQ published the following notices in accordance with the Local Government Electoral Act 2011:
- Notice of Election PDF (0.09 MB)
- Polling Notice PDF (0.04 MB)
- Early Voting Notice PDF (0.08 MB)
- Mobile Polling and Declared Institution Notice PDF (0.11 MB)
- List of mobile polling and voting services for the Torres Strait Island Regional Council PDF (0.15 MB)
- List of declared institutions PDF (0.26 MB)
- In response to COVID-19, the ECQ cancelled declared institution voting in all aged care facilities. The ECQ worked with registered declared institutions to determine the best way to provide voting services to residents.
- Notice of Uncontested Election PDF (0.6 MB)
Polling Notice The local government quadrennial elections will be held on Saturday, 28 March 2020. Polling booths will be open on election day from 8am to 6pm. Voting is compulsory. This notice is issued under section 35 of the Local Government Electoral Act 2011. Candidates
Election Day Voting
There are 19 local government areas with full postal voting or hybrid voting (part postal and part attendance). If you reside in an area with full-postal voting, you will receive your ballot materials in the mail. To check if you live in a full postal area, see the ECQ website or call 1300 881 665. Circumstances may necessitate changes to the advertised locations or times of polling booths. All changes will be notified on the ECQ website, or by calling 1300 881 665. Electoral Commission of Queensland T: 1300 881 665 (8am – 6pm Monday to Friday and 9am – 4pm Saturday) |
Early Voting Notice The local government quadrennial elections will be held on Saturday, 28 March 2020. Polling booths will be open on election day from 8am to 6pm. Voting is compulsory. This notice is issued under section 50 of the Local Government Electoral Act 2011. Early Voting (Pre-Poll)
There are 19 local government areas with full postal voting or hybrid voting (part postal and part attendance). If you reside in an area with full-postal voting, you will receive your ballot materials in the mail. To check if you live in a full postal area, see the ECQ website or call 1300 881 665. Circumstances may necessitate changes to the advertised locations or times of polling booths. All changes will be notified on the ECQ website, or by calling 1300 881 665. Electoral Commission of Queensland T: 1300 881 665 (8am – 6pm Monday to Friday and 9am – 4pm Saturday) |
Mobile Polling and Declared Institution Notice The local government quadrennial elections will be held on Saturday, 28 March 2020. Polling booths will be open on election day from 8am to 6pm. Voting is compulsory. This notice is issued under section 49 of the Local Government Electoral Act 2011. Mobile Polling and Declared Institutions
Circumstances may necessitate changes to the advertised polling locations or timetables. All changes will be notified on the ECQ website, or by calling 1300 881 665. Electoral Commission of Queensland T: 1300 881 665 (8am – 6pm Monday to Friday and 9am – 4pm Saturday) |
Notice of Uncontested Election On the 22 February 2020, the Electoral Commission of Queensland (ECQ) published notice of the 2020 local government elections to be held on Saturday, 28 March 2020. As per section 34 of the Local Government Electoral Act 2011, the following nominees are taken to have been elected, as the number of nominees equals the number of persons required to be elected:
T: 1300 881 665 (8am – 6pm Monday to Friday and 9am – 4pm Saturday) |
Returning Officers are appointed to oversee and manage the operation of voting across multiple polling booths and manage the final count to determine the result for their local government area.
View the list of Returning Officers here PDF (0.27 MB).
The electoral roll closed on Friday, 28 February 2020.
For more information about enrolling to vote for future elections, or updating your enrolment details, see Enrol to vote.
1,574 candidates nominated for the 2020 local government elections. Candidate nominations closed 12pm (midday) Tuesday, 3 March 2020.
View the list of candidates in ballot paper order PDF (1.34 MB).
Due to an administrative error, the ECQ published an incomplete nomination form in relation to Cr Mark Jamieson (Sunshine Coast Regional Council). The ECQ updated Cr Jamieson’s published nomination form on 20 April 2020 to include all contractual arrangements and contractual processes which Cr Jamieson disclosed at the time of nomination.
On Wednesday, 4 March 2020, the ECQ conducted a random draw to determine the order in which candidates’ names appeared on the ballot papers.
View the candidates in ballot paper order by searching for your local government area or by downloading the PDF list PDF (1.34 MB).
The ECQ must accept all how-to-vote cards before they can be distributed to voters during local government elections. The ECQ reviewed candidates’ how-to-vote cards from Wednesday, 4 March to Thursday, 19 March 2020.
In response to the emerging COVID-19 issues, the ECQ issued a Direction prohibiting face-to-face distribution of how-to-vote cards at polling places. Instead, election materials, including how-to-vote cards were provided to Returning Officer for display at polling places.
Approved how-to-vote cards are available to view by searching for your candidate.
Postal vote applications closed at 7pm Monday, 16 March 2020.
Postal votes were to be completed by 6pm on election day, 28 March 2020, and received by the ECQ no later than 5pm Tuesday, 7 April 2020 to be included in the count.
The Minister for Local Government approved the following full postal (the entire local government area) or hybrid ballots (part of the local government area) for the 2020 local government elections.
Local government area | Type of voting |
Balonne Shire Council | Full postal ballot |
Banana Shire Council | Full postal ballot |
Barcaldine Regional Council | Full postal ballot |
Barcoo Shire Council | Full postal ballot |
Blackall-Tambo Regional Council | Full postal ballot |
Bulloo Shire Council | Full postal ballot |
Burke Shire Council | Full postal ballot |
Cook Shire Council | Hybrid |
Diamantina Shire Council | Full postal ballot |
Etheridge Shire Council | Full postal ballot |
Goondiwindi Regional Council | Full postal ballot |
Isaac Regional Council | Hybrid (Divisions 1 and 8 - full postal ballot) |
Longreach Regional Council | Full postal ballot |
Maranoa Regional Council | Hybrid |
North Burnett Regional Council | Full postal ballot |
Paroo Shire Council | Full postal ballot |
Quilpie Shire Council | Full postal ballot |
Richmond Shire Council | Full postal ballot |
Western Downs Regional Council | Full postal ballot |
Early voting closed at 6pm Friday, 27 March 2020.
Telephone voting closed at 6pm Saturday, 28 March 2020.
This service was offered to eligible voters, including those who identified as having an impairment, disability or a low level of literacy, or those advised by a medical practitioner to remain in isolation during the election period due to exposure to COVID-19.
Mobile polling including registered declared institutions were provided in some regional areas and hospitals.
In response to COVID-19, the ECQ cancelled declared institution voting in all aged care facilities. The ECQ worked with registered declared institutions to determine the best way to provide voting services to residents.
Election day was Saturday, 28 March 2020 and polling booths were open from 8am to 6pm.
Following the close of polling at 6pm on election day, 28 March 2020, an unofficial preliminary count of votes was conducted.
The ECQ progressively published the results of the formal count when it became mathematically impossible for another candidate to be successful. The results can be viewed on the 2020 local government elections results page.
For more information go to How are votes counted?
Candidates, groups of candidates, registered political parties and associated entities must give the ECQ an election summary return detailing gifts or loans received and electoral expenditure incurred during the election disclosure period. This return must be lodged within 15 weeks of election day which, for the 2020 local government elections, will be Monday, 13 July 2020.
For more information about disclosure obligations, please see Disclosure of political donations and Handbooks, fact sheets and forms for candidates and parties.
Can’t find what you’re looking for?
Email us at ecq@ecq.qld.gov.au or call us on 1300 881 665.
Our call centre is open between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday.