Legislative Council elections 2024

Yes. Voting is compulsory for every elector in the divisions of Elwick, Hobart, and Prosser that is entitled to vote.

Voting is in person at a polling place on polling day. However, if you are unable do this, you may be eligible to vote early by one of these alternatives:

• vote in person at a pre-poll voting centre, or
• vote by phone (interstate and overseas electors only, early or on polling day), or
• vote by post, or
• vote at your nursing home or in some hospitals with our mobile voting teams.

Services will be available for vision impaired electors.

Learn more about ways to vote  

For the 2024 elections in Elwick, Hobart and Prosser, you need to number at least three (1-3) boxes on your ballot paper for it to be counted. You can choose to continue numbering more or all boxes in order of your preference.

On polling day, Saturday 4 May, there will be 49 polling places open. Locations will also be published in The Mercury and The Examiner newspapers on polling day.

Learn more about ways to vote  

If you are unable to vote in person, either early or on polling day, you may be eligible to vote by post. Applications close at 4 pm on Friday 26 April 2024.

For electors who are interstate or overseas at the time of the election, we recommend you consider using our Telephone Voting service, which will be available from 10 am on Monday 29 April.

Learn more about ways to vote  

If you are unable to vote on or before polling day by any of the ways listed above or on this page, please don't contact the TEC now. You will be sent a letter after the election. You can advise us of your valid and sufficient reason for not voting by responding to the letter.

Ballot papers can only be printed when all candidates are known, after the close of nominations. Postal ballot packs will be sent to approved applicants commencing early in the week following the announcement of candidates, from Monday 15 April 2024. Once you have submitted your application (applications close at 4 pm on Friday 26 April 2024), please be patient as mail processes can be slow.

Visit Check my enrolment on the Australian Electoral Commission website.

Please note that rolls for this election closed at 6 pm Wednesday 3 April 2024. You will be required to vote under the enrolment details recorded as at that time.

Visit Update my enrolment on the Australian Electoral Commission website.

Please note that rolls for this election closed at 6 pm Wednesday 3 April 2024. You will be required to vote under the enrolment details recorded as at that time.

Yes. Division maps: Elwick, Hobart, and Prosser. A statewide map displaying the boundaries of all Legislative Council divisions.

The TEC also has a search tool that can be used to discover which division an address is in.

Use this form on the Australian Electoral Commission website.

Apart from certain restrictions on advertising on polling day and within 100 metres of a polling place, the placement of posters and signs does not fall within the jurisdiction of the Tasmanian Electoral Commission.

However, many Tasmanian councils have specific planning schemes and by-laws regulating the placement and size of election posters. Candidates are advised to check with their relevant councils prior to erecting posters and any complaints over size and placement of signs should also be directed towards the relevant councils.

Permission to display posters on private property must always be obtained from the owner of the land concerned.

Before placing posters on public property (e.g. fences or trees) it is advisable to obtain permission from the responsible bodies such as local government (individual councils), the Department of State Growth, etc.

It is an offence under section 109(1)(a) of the Electricity Supply Industry Act 1995 to attach anything to a power pole without proper authority.

The penalty for an offence under this section is a fine not exceeding 50 penalty units for an individual or 100 penalty units for a body corporate.

Queries or complaints related to material being attached to electricity power poles should be directed to TasNetworks.

The Department of State Growth has produced the Tasmanian Roadside Signs Manual (June 2015). The manual contains the following information in relation to electoral signs:

The erection or display of electoral advertising signs within State and Local Government Roads is prohibited. The provisions of Local Authority Planning Schemes and Bylaws make adequate provision for such advertising.

It is also an offence under section 78(1) of the Traffic Act 1925 for a person to:

1. place or leave an electronic billboard on a public street; or
2. place or leave an electronic billboard in a public place if any occupant of any motor vehicle on any public street can, with the naked eye, read any words or make out any images being displayed by the electronic billboard.

Penalty: Fine not exceeding 20 penalty units.

Queries or complaints related to roadside signs or electronic billboards should be directed to the Department of State Growth.

First preferences will be counted immediately after the close of polling at 6 pm on Saturday 4 May 2024. Provisional results will be available on election night and will be published on this website. Rechecks and further counting then take place while we wait for the arrival of final postal votes by 10 am on Tuesday 14 May. It may be possible for the Returning Officer and Commissioner to declare a candidate elected, if they are satisfied that any votes not yet counted could not affect the results of the election. At the close of receipt of postal votes, first preference tallies are updated and if a candidate has not yet been elected, a distribution of preferences can begin, which is usually completed that day.

The partial preferential voting system is used to elect one member to a division of the Tasmanian Legislative Council (Upper House).

For a candidate to be elected, they must obtain an absolute majority of votes, which is more than one half of the total number of formal votes (less exhausted votes).

Learn more about the method of counting  

The TEC does not declare a candidate to be elected until it has been confirmed that they have received an absolute majority of votes with an unassailable lead. Before this can be confirmed, a process of counting, rechecking (twice) and distributing preferences (if required) must take place.

Members of the media may use available data to make predictions and report on a likely outcome at any stage of an election, but this is not an official result.

Apply to be added to the TEC's casual employment register. Your application will be considered and we will contact you if there's a suitable role.

There are many different roles at different times during the election. Offers will be sent out right through to the end of the polling period. If you are concerned, send an email to employment@tec.tas.gov.au.