Council elections are around the corner - time to make sure your vote counts

NSW’s local government elections are less than eight weeks away and that means Illawarra residents should ensure their enrolment details are up to date.

If you’ve moved, turned 18, or changed your name or other personal details since the last election, you should update your details.

Voting in the 14 September council elections is compulsory.

Wollongong and Shellharbour residents will vote for their ward councillors and the mayor, while Kiama residents will choose their councillors, as well as vote in a referendum asking if, in future elections, they want to also directly elect their mayor. Currently the elected councillors vote for the mayor.

Nominations for candidates open on 5 August and close at noon on Wednesday 14 August to nominate. The ballot will be drawn the following day.

Voters who will be travelling, or unable to get to a polling station, will be able to apply for a postal vote from Tuesday 6 August. Pre-poll voting will open from Saturday 7 September.

Here’s a quick rundown on the state of play in Illawarra’s three councils.

Wollongong

Wollongong City Council has 12 councillors (four in each ward) plus the Lord Mayor. Residents vote for their ward candidates and the mayor. Click here to find out your ward.

After 13 years at the helm, Lord Mayor Gordon Bradbery has announced he will not contest the election.

So far Labor’s Tania Brown, the Liberals’ John Dorahy, Independent Andrew Anthony and the Greens’ Jess Whittiker have stepped up to contest for the top job, but it’s likely more candidates will announce their intentions before nominations close – watch this space.

Wollongong is divided into three wards.

Ward 1 encompasses the region’s northernmost residents, from just above Helensburgh down to Fairy Meadow and Balgownie, as well as residents in the escarpment north of Robertson.

Ward 2 covers the city centre, north to Mount Ousley and Mount Pleasant, then south and west to Coniston, Unanderra and Kembla Heights.

Ward 3 to the south starts at Spring Hill and Farmborough Heights and takes in the southern suburbs from Port Kembla to Windang in the east and Yallah and Marshal Mount in the southwest, then out to Avondale, Huntley, Wongawilli and Dombarton.

Visit the Wollongong Council site for more information.

Shellharbour

In Shellharbour, Mayor Chris Homer made his intentions clear earlier in the year that he would run for the top job again, while Labor’s Cr Rob Petreski announced his candidacy for the role in May.

Shellharbour voters will be electing a mayor and eight councillors, with two in each of the four wards.

In preparation for the election, the ward boundaries were reviewed and, as a result, minor changes were made to the boundaries that will come into effect for the election.

Visit Shellharbour Council’s online mapping system to find your ward.

Ward A includes the largest area with Macquarie Pass, Tongarra, Calderwood, Tullimbar, Yellow Rock Ridge, Albion Park and Albion Park Rail.

Ward B covers the northern Shellharbour suburbs of Oak Flats, Mount Warrigal, Lake Illawarra and Warilla.

Ward C takes in the coastline, with Warilla, Lake Illawarra, Barrack Point, Barrack Heights, Shellharbour and Shell Cove.

Ward D in the south includes Shellharbour City Centre, Blackbutt, Flinders, Croom and Dunmore.

Visit Shellharbour Council for more information.

Kiama

Kiama Mayor Neil Reilly will retire from council at the election, after 17 years serving the community.

Kiama Council has nine councillors, including the mayor.

As well as electing councillors on 14 September, residents will vote on a referendum to decide if the mayor should be popularly elected in future local government elections. Click here for more information on the referendum.

Residents will be asked to vote ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ to the question: The mayor of Kiama Municipality is currently elected every two years by the nine councillors. Do you want to change to the direct (popular) election of the mayor by the voters of the Kiama Municipality, for a four-year term?

If the referendum result is Yes, the change will come into effect for the local government elections in 2028.

Visit Kiama Council for more information.

Visit the NSW Electoral Commission to check your enrolment details.

Region Illawarra will run profiles on all candidates standing for election for Wollongong, Shellharbour and Kiama councils. We’ll be asking candidates to state their party affiliation (if they have one), occupation and two to three key platform issues. Candidates should email their contact details to [email protected]