Devonport Gears Up for Local Government Elections as Candidates Announced

Residents across the Mersey Valley are preparing to cast their votes in the 2026 Local Government Elections, with candidates for Devonport City Council now confirmed.

By Latrobe Times Tassie Desk · 28 September 2026 AI-assisted

the historic main street of Latrobe, Tasmania, with Victorian-era country town shopfronts, daytime, no identifiable people

Illustration (AI-generated)

Local Government elections are currently underway across all 29 of Tasmania’s local government areas, including the Devonport City Council, with voting set to conclude in late October. These elections, held every four years, will determine the councillors, mayors, and deputy mayors who will serve a four-year term of office.

For the Devonport City Council, candidates were officially announced on Tuesday, September 22, by the Tasmanian Electoral Commission (TEC). Voters in Devonport will elect seven councillors, along with a mayor and a deputy mayor. The TEC has confirmed that 13 candidates are contesting the councillor positions, while two individuals are vying for the mayoral role and five for the deputy mayor position.

The election process is conducted entirely by postal ballot, and voting is compulsory for all electors enrolled on the State roll. Electoral rolls for these elections closed at 6 pm on Thursday, September 10.

According to the Tasmanian Electoral Commission, ballot packs are scheduled to be delivered to enrolled electors by post starting from Monday, October 5. These packs will contain the necessary ballot papers and instructions for completing and returning votes.

Electors are reminded that completed ballot papers must be received by the Tasmanian Electoral Commission before the close of poll, which is set for 2 pm on Tuesday, October 27. Counting of votes will commence from 9 am on Wednesday, October 28.

While nominations for most councils closed on Monday, September 21, the TEC noted that nominations for councillor vacancies on King Island and Tasman Councils remain open until 12 noon today, Monday, September 28.

The Department of Premier and Cabinet highlights the importance of these elections, stating that local councils make crucial decisions about services and infrastructure that impact daily life, such as roads, waste collection, planning, and parks. Councillors are elected to represent community interests, and voting ensures these local decisions are made by individuals with community support.

For more detailed information on the candidates for Devonport City Council and the broader election process, residents are encouraged to visit the Tasmanian Electoral Commission website.