Stand for Council

Councils are the closest level of government to the community. To represent their communities successfully, they need great quality candidates to put their hand up for election.

What you need to know

To be a candidate for a local council election, you must:

• be an Australian citizen
• be aged 18 years of age
• be enrolled on the voters' roll for the council in which you wish to stand
• have completed the mandatory Local Government Candidate Training
• not be disqualified from being a Councillor

If the council has wards, you can be a candidate for any ward in the council.

• Requirements for becoming a local council candidate

What you need to do

The Victorian Government provides compulsory Local Government Candidate Training for all Victorians who wish to nominate as a candidate in any council elections. The training will help you understand the role and responsibilities of being a Councillor. Under the Local Government Act 2020 you will not be able to nominate as a candidate unless you have completed the training.

• Mandatory candidate training requirements

Information Sessions

Council-run information sessions

Greater Shepparton City Council will be hosting several information sessions in the lead up to the 2024 Local Government elections. Council will host three Candidate and Voter Information Sessions.

These sessions will give you great insight into what being a Councillor might look like, including time commitments, responsibilities and general requirements under the Local Government Act 2020.

The sessions will also provide information to voters on the new ward structure for Greater Shepparton and what residents need to know ahead of the election.

Details on these sessions are included below. Please register using Trybooking via the links below. Please note, while registrations are encouraged, walk-ins on the day will also be welcome.

• Mooroopna Candidate and Voter Information Session
  Mooroopna Education and Activity Centre, 23 Alexandra Street, Mooroopna
  Wednesday 5 June 2024
  5pm – 6pm
  Register for the Mooroopna session
• Tatura Candidate and Voter Information Session
  Tatura Senior Citizens Centre, 2 Memorial Place, Tatura
  Tuesday 18 June 2024
  6pm – 7pm
  Register for the Tatura session
• Shepparton Candidate and Voter Information Session
  Council Boardroom, Greater Shepparton City Council, 90 Welsford Street, Shepparton
  Monday 26 August 2024
  5:30pm – 6:30pm
  Register for the Shepparton session
• Women Candidate Information Session
  This information session encourages attendance from women who are considering standing for Council. The presentation will provide a general overview of the role of a Councillor, in addition to exploring perceived barriers and the flexibility available to support all Councillors.
  Attendees will hear from guest speaker, Member for Shepparton and former Greater Shepparton City Council Mayor and Councillor, Kim O’Keeffe MP.
  Shepparton Art Museum (SAM), Multifunction Room, Level 4
  Thursday 25 July 2024
  12.30pm – 1.30pm
  Light lunch to be provided.
  Register for the Women's session

Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) First Nations Candidate Information Session

Council has partnered with the MAV to host a First Nations Candidate Information Session in Shepparton. Details below.

• First Nations Candidate Information Session
  Function Room 1, Riverlinks Eastbank, 70 Welsford Street, Shepparton
  Thursday 30 May 2024
  6.30pm – 8.00pm
  
  While this session is to support members of our First Nations community who are considering standing for Council, all potential candidates are welcome to attend.
  
  Potential candidates are encouraged to attend in person or join online to hear from Cr Yvonne Weldon AM, City of Sydney and Cr Barrie Winmar, City of Kwinana, Western Australia about why they chose to stand for council and their experiences of being a Councillor.
  
  This session will also provide important information about the upcoming local government elections as well as support and mentoring programs available to Councillors once elected. Click here to find out more and to register.

The MAV will also be hosting several in-person and online Candidate Information Sessions across Victoria. To find out more and to register for one of these sessions, visit the MAV's Stand for Council page.

Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC) Information Session

The VEC will be hosting an Information Session in Shepparton in the lead up to the elections.

This page will be updated with further information when available.

Find out more

Find out more about how local government works, the election process, and upcoming information sessions on the MAV's Stand for Council page.

Additional information is available from the following resources:

• Victorian Electoral Commission
  Mandatory training is available for all Victorians who wish to nominate as a candidate in any council elections.
• Victorian Local Governance Association (VLGA)
  The VLGA offers information sessions and supporting resources in the lead up to each General Election, including a toolkit which supports candidates in running a successful campaign.
• Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV)
  The MAV offers a series of professional development training for councillors and officers. Our training workshops and professional development pathways provide councillors with an enhanced understanding of their obligations, roles and responsibilities through skill enhancement and professional development pathways.
• Australian Local Government Women’s Association (ALGWA) Victorian Branch
  ALGWA aims to encourage women to participate in local government or make a career in local government. They can assist in furthering knowledge and understanding of the function of local government and to act in an advisory capacity to intending women candidates for local government election.