2028 Queensland local elections explained

Country:Queensland
Type:parliamentary
Ongoing:no
Election Date:25 March 2028[1]
Previous Election:2024 Queensland local elections
Previous Year:2024
Next Election:2032 Queensland local elections
Next Year:2032
Leader1:N/A
Party1:Independents
Last Election1:446 seats
Seats Before1:446
Leader2:N/A
Party2:Liberal National Party of Queensland
Last Election2:18 seats
Seats Before2:18
Leader4:N/A
Party4:Australian Labor Party (Queensland Branch)
Last Election4:5 seats
Seats Before4:5
Leader5:No leader
Party5:Greens
Last Election5:2 seats
Seats Before5:2

The 2028 Queensland local elections are scheduled to be held on 25 March 2028 to elect the mayors and councils of the 77 local government areas in Queensland, Australia.

Electoral systems

Mayors and single-member wards

All 77 councils use optional preferential voting (OPV) for mayoral elections. Under OPV, voters are only required to vote for one candidates, although they can choose to preference other candidates.[2]

In the 22 councils that use single-member wards (including Brisbane, Gold Coast and Townsville) OPV is also used.[3]

Multi-member wards

See also: 2028 Ipswich City Council election. Only Ipswich uses multi-member wards, with four two-member wards (resulting in eight total councillors).[4]

No form of preferential voting is in place, with plurality block voting (also referred to as first-past-the-post by the Electoral Commission) is instead used, where voters are only required to mark the same amount of candidates as there are positions to be elected − in the case of Ipswich, two candidates.[5] [6]

Undivided councils

54 councils are undivided, meaning they do not use any forms of wards and all councillors are elected in a single area representing the entire LGA.[7]

Plurality block voting is used for these councils.[5]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: So when is the next federal election? A quick guide . Australian Electoral Commission . 26 April 2024 . Queensland local government elections are held every 4 years on the last Saturday in March, unless changed by regulation..
  2. Web site: Green . Antony . Election Preview . ABC News . 23 February 2024.
  3. Web site: Is my council a divided, multi-member divided or undivided council? . Electoral Commission of Queensland.
  4. Web site: How Ipswich will be divided after next council election . Brisbane Times . 11 July 2019.
  5. Web site: First-past-the-post voting . Electoral Commission of Queensland.
  6. Web site: Qld Local Government . ABC News.
  7. Web site: Govt makes new Mackay council undivided . ABC News . 28 September 2007.