2026 Tasmanian local elections explained

Country:Tasmania
Type:parliamentary
Election Date:October 2026
Previous Election:2022 Tasmanian local elections
Previous Year:2022
Next Election:2030 Tasmanian local elections
Next Year:2030
Ongoing:yes
Seats For Election:
(All 263 elected council members)[1] [2]
Image1: IND
Party1:Independents
Last Election1:199 seats
Seats Before1:204
Party2:Tasmanian Greens
Last Election2:11 seats
Seats Before2:9

The 2026 Tasmanian local elections will be held in October 2026 to elect the councils, mayors and deputy mayors of the 29 local government areas (LGAs) in Tasmania, Australia.[3]

Electoral system

Like at state and federal elections, voting in local elections is compulsory and has been since 2022.[4] All voting is held via post, and the elections are conducted by the Tasmanian Electoral Commission (TEC).[5]

Councillor elections are conducted using a slightly modified version of the Hare-Clark electoral system, which is also used for Tasmanian House of Assembly elections.[6] Mayors and deputy mayors are elected using preferential voting, which is also used for Tasmanian Legislative Council elections.[6] The Robson Rotation is used to rotate the order in which candidate names appear on ballot papers.[7]

Political parties

The Tasmanian Liberal Party and the Tasmanian Labor Party generally do not endorse candidates for local elections.[8] [9] The Tasmanian Greens do endorse candidates and had 11 candidates elected in 2022.[10] [11]

Party changes before elections

A number of councillors joined or left parties before the 2026 elections.

Council Councillor Former party New party Date
DorsetGreg Howard Independent Liberal Independent12 July 2023[12] [13]
HobartLouise Elliot Independent Independent LiberalNovember 2023[14]
HobartLouise Elliot Independent Liberal Independent20 February 2024[15]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Review of Tasmania’s Local Government Legislation Framework . Department of Premier and Cabinet . 16 November 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20241021180235/https://www.dpac.tas.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0032/96278/Discussion_Paper_Local_Government_Legislative_Framework_WCAG.pdf . 21 October 2024 . 9 . December 2018 . There are currently 263 elected members and nearly 4000 employees across Tasmania’s 29 councils, who serve half a million constituents.
  2. Web site: Burton . Bob . Most Tasmanian councils in breach of rules for disclosure of gifts and donations . Tasmanian Inquirer . 16 November 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20241022150620/https://tasmanianinquirer.com.au/web/20241022150620/https://tasmanianinquirer.com.au/news/most-tasmanian-councils-in-breach-of-rules-for-disclosure-of-gifts-and-donations/ . 22 October 2024 . 2 August 2021.
  3. Web site: Council elections . Tasmanian Government . https://web.archive.org/web/20241024063446/https://www.dpac.tas.gov.au/divisions/local_government/about_councils/local_government_elections . 24 October 2024.
  4. Web site: Langenberg . Adam . Tasmania's first local election with compulsory voting has been hotly fought . ABC News . 16 November 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240229121336/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-10-11/tasmanias-local-election-hotly-fought/101517492 . 29 February 2024 . 11 October 2022.
  5. Web site: Cooper-Douglas . Erin . Voting in Tasmania's local council elections is now compulsory. Here's what you need to know . ABC News . 16 November 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240917111844/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-10-02/tas-local-government-election-compulsory-voting-explainer/101482530 . 17 September 2024 . 2 October 2022.
  6. Web site: Ways to vote . Tasmanian Electoral Commission . 16 November 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20241016015653/https://www.tec.tas.gov.au/local-government/elections-2022/ways-to-vote.html . 16 October 2024.
  7. Web site: A discussion paper on Robson rotation in Tasmania . Tasmanian Electoral Commission . 16 November 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20241022121013/https://www.tec.tas.gov.au/info/Robson_Rotation_Paper.pdf . 22 October 2024 . April 2008.
  8. Web site: LIBERALS ISSUE "HOW TO VOTE" ADVICE FOR HOBART COUNCIL ELECTION . Facebook . Tasmanian Liberals . 26 September 2024 . https://archive.today/20240926054513/https://www.facebook.com/TasLiberal/posts/10156348093425412/?paipv=0&eav=AfaKkIoccR3y0QgqNH7KomN2cfMzg2Pk3HUEG4s2rkRLaiktklXIwX2i4PS3_QMgf38 . 26 September 2024 . 10 October 2018.
  9. Web site: Australian Labor Party Tasmanian Branch rules . Tasmanian Labor . 16 November 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20241016013033/https://www.taslabor.org.au/media/0xyn0bdl/australian-labor-party-tasmanian-branch-rules-current-june-2023.pdf . 16 October 2024 . 40 . 23 June 2023 . The Party may decide to endorse a candidate or candidates for a local government election..
  10. Web site: Booth . Kim . Vote Green this Local Government Election . Tasmanian Greens MPs . 16 November 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20241116014952/https://tasgreensmps.org/media-releases/vote-green-this-local-government-election/ . 16 November 2024 . 23 October 2014.
  11. Web site: Greens Announce 5 Candidates for HCC Elections . Tasmanian Times . 16 November 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240101074808/https://tasmaniantimes.com/2022/02/greens-announce-5-candidates-for-hcc-elections/ . 1 January 2024 . 14 February 2022.
  12. Web site: Maloney . Matt . Dorset mayor Greg Howard bitterly breaks from Liberal Party . The Examiner . 16 November 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240103080406/https://www.examiner.com.au/story/8267286/liberal-party-branch-president-quits-in-protest/ . 3 January 2024 . 12 July 2023.
  13. Web site: Labor: Liberals in Disarray over Elitism, Local Government . Tasmanian Times . 16 November 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240816073522/https://tasmaniantimes.com/2023/07/labor-liberals-in-disarray-over-elitism-local-government/ . 16 August 2024 . 13 July 2023.
  14. Web site: Woodruff . Rosalie . Right-Wing Extremism . Tasmanian Greens MPs . 16 November 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240220205033/https://tasgreensmps.org/parliament/speeches/right-wing-extremism/ . 20 February 2024 . 14 November 2023.
  15. Web site: Bailey . Sue . Change of heart: Hobart councillor Louise Elliot ditches Liberals to run for election as independent . The Mercury . 16 November 2024 . https://archive.today/20240220161325/https://www.themercury.com.au/news/politics/change-of-heart-hobart-councillor-louise-elliot-ditches-liberals-to-run-for-election-as-independent/news-story/6fb7a3287494e1990e09903c93949e8d?amp&nk=fc80c91c735eace15730f4bed44297bc-1708445615 . 20 February 2024 . 21 February 2024.

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