New South Wales Local Government Elections are being held this weekend and here is everything you need to know before heading into the polling booths.
This Saturday, September 14, Australian residents aged 18 and over are required to hit the booths and cast their vote for the new crop of Penrith City Councillors.
What do local Councils do?
Briefly, local Councils are the third tier in Australian government after State and Federal and are charged with making decisions that represent the values and needs of the local community they serve.
They have jurisdiction over day-to-day level operations like developments, public spaces, rates, sewage and other resource allocations.
Who are the candidates?
In total, Penrith residents will be electing 15 different Councillors, five from each ward.
In the North Ward there is current Councillors John Thain leading a Labor ticket and Ross Fowler leading the only Liberal ticket, Shafaq Jaffery leading a Greens ticket, and two Independent tickets being led by Amanda Cardwell and current Councillor Glenn Gardiner.
The South Ward will have current Independent Councillor Sue Day leading a ticket, newcomer Hollie McLean taking over the Labor ticket from Karen McKeown, and Libertarian Vanessa Pollak leading a ticket.
In the East Ward there is only one ticket which is led by current Mayor Todd Carney for Labor.
Who has to vote?
It is compulsory for all Australian citizens aged 18 and older to vote. Not voting in an election without valid reason can lead to a $55 fine.
East Ward residents do not need to vote, this includes those living in parts of Kingswood, St Marys, North St Marys, Oxley Park, Colyton, Claremont Meadows, Caddens, St Clair, Erskine Park, Kemps Creek, Mount Vernon and parts of Orchard Hills.
The election in the East Ward has been declared by the NSW Electoral Commission as uncontested, meaning that no vote will take place for those living in the East Ward.
Labor is the only ticket running in the East Ward, meaning that all five candidates will be elected to Council.
No polling places will be set up on Saturday, September 14 for East Ward residents.
Where to vote?
North Ward polling places include Andromeda Community Centre, Berkshire Park Hall, Cambridge Gardens Public School, Cambridge Park High School, Cambridge Park Public School, Castlereagh Public School, Cranebrook High School, Emu Heights Public School, Emu Plains Community Centre, Glenmore Park Youth & Community Centre, Henry Fulton Public School, Jamison High School, Jamisontown Uniting Church Hall, Jordan Springs Community Hub, Kingswood Anglican Church, Kingswood Park Public School, Llandilo Public School, Londonderry Public School, Nepean High School, Penrith Police Citizens Youth Club, Penrith South Public School, Samuel Terry Public School, St Dominic’s College, St Marys Memorial Hall, Werrington County Public School and Werrington Public School.
South Ward polling places include Emu Plains Community Centre, Fernhill School, Glenmore Park Public School, Glenmore Park Youth & Community Centre, Jamison High School, Jamisontown Public School, Jamisontown Uniting Church Hall, Kingswood Anglican Church, Kingswood South Public School, Leonay Public School, Luddenham Progress Hall, Mt Hope Uniting Church Hall – Orchard Hills, Mulgoa Hall, Nepean High School, Penrith Police Citizens Youth Club, Penrith South Public School, Regentville Public School, St Dominic’s College, St Marys Memorial Hall, Surveyors Creek Public School and Wallacia Public School.
There will be no polling places set up in the East Ward.
Voting opens at 8am and closes at 6pm on Saturday.
Check the NSW Electoral Commission’s ‘find my electorate tool’ at http://www.elections.nsw.gov.au/elections/find-my-electorate if you’re not sure what Ward you have to vote in.
When will the results be announced?
Vote counting begins soon after the polls close at 6pm on Saturday, September 14 and continues until 10pm.
During this initial count some Councils will get an indication of the result but for situations where the results will be a bit closer more counting is continued in the following days. Follow local results on the Weekender website.
Emily Chate
Emily Chate joined The Western Weekender in 2024, and covers local news - primarily courts and politics. A graduate of the University of Wollongong, Emily has contributed to The Daily Telegraph and worked as a freelance journalist.