Councils have a significant impact on the lives of all Tasmanians, enabling the economic, social and cultural development of the community, supporting individuals and groups, and providing a wide range of services for the wellbeing of the community.
Elected Members play a vital leadership role, working together to create and implement their community’s vision, strategic direction and the values within which they operate.
Mayors, Deputy Mayors and Councillors are all elected for four-year terms. Mayors and Deputy Mayors are popularly elected.
Candidates 2026 Election
Link to Derwent Valley Council Candidates - 2026 Derwent Valley Council election candidates - Tasmanian Electoral Commission
Voting
By voting you can help influence what sort of place your community will be. It is about your future so vote for the representative(s) you want. Talk to other people you know and encourage them to vote too.
Derwent Valley Council elections are conducted by postal ballot. All elections for Councillors are conducted using a multi-member proportional representation electoral system. This is directly modelled on the Hare-Clark system used for Tasmanian House of Assembly elections. A feature of the Hare-Clark system is that vacant seats are filled by recount rather than by-elections.
Under the postal ballot system there is a ‘polling period’ of at least 10 days (excluding any Saturday, Sunday or bank holiday), rather than a single polling day.
Every elector will be sent their very own postal ballot pack at their postal address. You then have around three weeks to complete and post your vote back to the returning officer.
Eligibility to vote
Anyone who is enrolled for House of Assembly elections is eligible to vote.
Others who are eligible can register to vote by completing a form to be included on the General Manager's Roll. This includes:
- residents who are not on the State Electoral Roll (for instance non-Australian citizens)
- non-resident owners or occupiers of property in the Derwent Valley municipal area
- the nominee of a corporate body.
The State roll
If you are currently on the electoral roll for state and federal elections you are automatically enrolled to vote in a local government election, in the municipal area in which your enrolled address is located.
Voting in local government elections is compulsory and you must be enrolled if you are an Australian citizen who is 18 years or older.
Enrolment on the state roll is managed by the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC). Visit the AEC website if you need to enrol to vote. You can also check your enrolment online and update your details. If you need an enrolment form mailed to you, phone us on free call 1800 801 701.
Your enrolment form or updated details must be received before the close of rolls for an election or poll.
General Managers’ rolls
Each council keeps a General Manager’s roll for people who may be eligible to vote in a local government election based on where they live, property they own or occupy, or a corporate body they represent.
You may be eligible to be on a General Manager’s roll in a local government area if:
- you reside in the area but are not entitled to be on the State roll for that area,
- you own or occupy land in the area (e.g. you lease a shop or own a shack) but are enrolled on the State roll for a different local government area , or
- you are the nominated representative of a corporate body that owns or occupies land in the area.
To enrol under these special provisions, you need to complete the appropriate enrolment form and return it to the general manager of the relevant council:
- Local government enrolment form for owner/occupiers, or
- Local government enrolment form for corporate bodies
To be enrolled under these special provisions you need to ensure that the general manager for the council in which you are enrolling has your completed enrolment form before the close of rolls for an election or poll.
If you are an occupier of a property in the Derwent Valley municipal area you will need to provide a supporting document with your completed Electoral Enrolment Form, showing your name and current address. Examples are your drivers licence, a utility bill, lease agreement, letter from the landlord or other such document.
If you have any questions please contact Council's Rates Team:
- Email: dvcouncil@dvc.tas.gov.au
- Phone: 03 6261 8500
Completed Enrolment Forms together with supporting documentation showing residency in the municipal area, where applicable, should be returned to Council via:
- Email: dvcouncil@dvc.tas.gov.au
- Mail: Derwent Valley Council, GPO Box 595, New Norfolk, Tasmania 7140
- In Person: Customer Service Desk, Circle Street, New Norfolk.
The latest Derwent Valley Council elections were held in October 2022. View the list of the Derwent Valley Elected Members.