Navigating Local Government Elections

NEWS ALERT – Queenslanders to head to the polls on Saturday, 16 March 2024 to elect local governments across the state.

Okay, so that is not new news for you all as for many your community is in the thick of campaigning.? While navigating the enviable pre-election issues and planning for the incoming council, Councils are also managing Business as Usual (BAU).

Navigating the pre- and post-election environment takes planning, information, awareness and preparedness.

Elections can be a time of heightened emotions, changing of the guard and new opportunities.? I spoke to several LG Officers to prepare this article in order to inform those who might be experiencing an election for the first time.

Helpful information about the election

The Electoral Commission Queensland (ECQ) has made considerable effort in the lead up to the 2024 election to support all councils and their communities through proactive engagement and the development of many new resources which are available on their website:

• 2024 local government elections
• Handbooks, fact sheets and forms

Councils have some responsibilities in the lead up and post-election:

• Manage Caretaker period requirements (from the notice of the election through to issue of the final declaration of polls)
• Councillors must make the Declaration of Office to the CEO as soon practical post final declaration and within 30 days of being elected
• Post-Election meeting must be held within 14 days of the last declaration of poll
• Deputy Mayor to be appointed at the Post-Election Meeting
• Councillors and their related persons to complete a Register of Interest Form of Councillors within 30 days of being elected

In addition to the above requirements, councils will induct new (and returning) councillors through their onboarding and induction programme.? This will include appointments to internal and external committees and familiarisation of council’s policies and procedures.

LGMA has a suite of helpful resources for members.? Please visit our Council Resources page for helpful tools.? For a guide for your onboarding programme, please visit our Members Resources section of our Members Only page.

Officer Perspectives

There have been several forums over the last few months where officers have shared their pre-and post-election experiences.? At a glance, the following are provided as comments, learnings, suggestions and/or summary of those discussions and findings:

• Prepare for pre-electioneering and know how to respond to community or candidate actions where required
• Have a clear understanding on how to respond/deal with candidate questioning (how to release information in the public interest, versus the role of an active councillor who still must perform their role)
• Share general information on the elections to all staff, so they can respond and know to direct enquirers to the ECQ or Returning Officer
• Be prepared to navigate candidate expectations
• Get ready for your new council - focus on the positive experience and importance of teamwork
• “Stay independent and stay out of the process.? It is best for ECQ to run the election and the CEO /Council to stay independent” advises Brett de Chastel.

Lessons Learnt

Brett de Chastel has provided some words of wisdom, in particular navigating post-election introductions and onboarding.? His core message to all is to:

“Focus on the positives, listen, learn and build trust from the outset.? Bring the new Council and the greater team on the journey, not just focusing on what the Councillors cannot do when giving them information about the role of a Councillor.”

While ensuring the Councillors know their roles, responsibilities, meeting rules, etc., is important, he says “one of the critical things to do with incoming Councillors is to listen in the first instance -?why did you run, what do you want to achieve etc.? You should build trust and understanding by listening to the needs and expectations of incoming Councillors”.

What else is important in navigating post-election realities?? Councillors, in particular newcomers, have a lot of training: i.e. Do not instruct staff, do not speak on behalf of council, do not get involved in operational matters.? Brett suggests “There is a real opportunity at this stage of the onboarding to focus on how they can work as a team, how to deal with inquiries from the community, how to address operational matters if they get asked.”

So, as March quickly approaches, every local government officer can help smooth the election cycle chaos by understanding their role, preparing for change and being open to whatever the community decides.

Liza Perrett, LGMA Governance Advisor