How to vote in the 2026 Hobart elections
The City of Hobart election is held in October 2026, and it is run entirely by post. This is a plain guide for every Hobart voter, whoever you decide to support.
Your pack holds more than one ballot
When your pack arrives, it will contain three separate ballot papers, one for Lord Mayor, one for Deputy Lord Mayor and one for councillors. Each is counted on its own.
Plenty of people fill in one ballot and leave the rest. Your voice only fully counts when you complete all three, sign the declaration, and post the pack back in time. It takes a few extra minutes and it is worth it.
Voting in Hobart, from letterbox to letterbox
Six simple steps. The whole thing happens by mail, so there is no queue and no polling day to plan around.
- 1
Make sure you are enrolled
If you are on the Tasmanian state electoral roll at your Hobart address, the same roll you use for state and federal elections, you are already enrolled for the council election and a ballot pack will be posted to you. There is nothing more to do.
If you own or occupy property in Hobart but live and vote somewhere else, or you represent a company that owns or occupies property in the city, you may be able to enrol on the council’s General Manager’s roll. Enrolments close a set time before the election, so check the Tasmanian Electoral Commission for the close-of-rolls date.
- 2
Watch the letterbox in October 2026
There are no polling booths. The election is run entirely by post by the Tasmanian Electoral Commission (TEC), and every enrolled voter is mailed their own ballot pack in October 2026.
Inside the pack you will find:
- your ballot papers, one for Lord Mayor, one for Deputy Lord Mayor and one for councillors,
- a booklet with the candidates and instructions,
- a declaration envelope, and
- a reply-paid envelope to post it all back.
Exact posting dates are set by the TEC, so check tec.tas.gov.au for the official 2026 timetable.
- 3
Complete every ballot paper
This is the step people miss. Your pack holds three separate ballots, and each one is counted on its own. Fill in all three so your full voice is heard, not just part of it.
Number your choices in order, starting with 1 for your first preference. To make each ballot count you need at least:
- Lord Mayor: number at least 1 box (your first choice).
- Deputy Lord Mayor: number at least 1 box.
- Councillors: number at least 5 boxes, 1 through 5.
You are welcome to number more preferences than the minimum, and it is a good idea to. The councillor ballot is where votes are most often wasted, because too few boxes are numbered. If in doubt, keep numbering. Please check the instructions in your pack, or the TEC, for the final 2026 rules.
- 4
Sign the declaration envelope
Once all three ballots are marked, seal them inside the declaration envelope and sign it. The signature is what allows your vote to be admitted, so an unsigned declaration can mean your ballots are not counted.
Then place the sealed declaration envelope inside the reply-paid envelope, ready to post.
- 5
Post it back in good time
Your completed pack has to reach the returning officer before the close of poll, a fixed date and time in late October 2026. It is not enough to post it on the last day, so send it back early to give the mail time to arrive.
If you would rather hand it in, you can lodge your sealed envelope in a TEC ballot box at the council office instead of posting it.
- 6
If your pack never arrives
If your ballot pack does not turn up, or you make a mistake and need a fresh one, contact the TEC on 1800 801 701. They can arrange a replacement pack.
If it is too late to post a replacement in time, you may be able to collect a new pack from the council and lodge it in a TEC ballot box there. There is no polling-booth voting, so the TEC is the place to sort any problem out.
The two things people most often get wrong
Not numbering enough boxes
The councillor ballot needs at least 5 boxes numbered to count, and the Lord Mayor and Deputy Lord Mayor ballots need at least 1 each. If you stop too soon, that ballot can be set aside. When in doubt, keep numbering.
Forgetting to sign the declaration
Mark all three papers, seal them inside the declaration envelope, and sign it. An unsigned or unsealed declaration can stop the whole return from being counted. Then post it back, early.
A few common questions
- Is there a polling booth I can go to on the day?
- No. Hobart’s council election is run entirely by post. Everyone enrolled is mailed a ballot pack, and there are no polling places. If your pack goes missing, contact the TEC on 1800 801 701.
- Do I have to vote?
- Voting is compulsory for everyone on the state electoral roll. It is not compulsory for people enrolled through the General Manager’s roll (property and company voters). If you are required to vote and do not, without a valid reason, a penalty can apply. The TEC will write to you first. See the TEC’s non-voter page for the current details.
- I own a business or property in Hobart but live elsewhere. Can I vote?
- You may be able to, through the council’s General Manager’s roll, if you own or occupy property in the city, or represent a company that does, and you are enrolled to vote at an address outside Hobart. Applications go to the council and must be in before the rolls close. Check the TEC enrolment page and the City of Hobart.
- Why do people still say alderman?
- History. Hobart’s elected members were long known as aldermen, and many Hobartians still use the word. The current official title is councillor, and the city’s civic head is the Lord Mayor, with a Deputy Lord Mayor alongside.
The steps above follow the Tasmanian Electoral Commission’s process. Dates and details for 2026 are confirmed by the TEC, so for anything official please check tec.tas.gov.au.
When your Lord Mayor ballot arrives, we would be honoured if you wrote 1 beside Louise Bloomfield. However you choose to vote, the most important thing is simple: complete every ballot in your pack, sign the declaration, and post it back in time so your full voice is counted.
Not sure what you are voting for?
Here is what the Lord Mayor, Deputy Lord Mayor and councillors each actually do, and how they shape the city.
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