21-11 Preparation of non-residential rolls
| Circular Details | 21-11 / 10 June 2021 / A755941 |
| Previous Circular | 17-13 – Preparation of non-residential rolls |
| Who should read this | General Managers / All council staff involved in councils’ preparations for the September 2021 elections |
| Contact | Council Governance Team / 02 4428 4100 / olg@olg.nsw.gov.au |
| Action required | Information / Council to Implement |
| PDF Version | 21-11 Preparation of non-residential rolls |
What’s new or changing
- The Local Government Act 1993 (the Act) requires council general managers to prepare and confirm the rolls of non-resident owners, occupiers and ratepaying lessees of rateable land in the council’s area (the non-residential rolls).
- The non-residential rolls are to include the names of the persons who:
- have applied, at any time, for the inclusion of their name in any such roll; and
- on the closing date (40 days prior to the election) are, in the opinion of the general manager, qualified for inclusion in that roll.
What this will mean for your council
- The Act provides that all non-resident owners, occupiers and ratepaying lessees of rateable land in an area are eligible to vote in local government elections.
- In preparing the non-residential rolls, the general manager must:
- include the names of all persons who have previously applied for enrolment; and
- check that those persons continue to be eligible to be enrolled.
- Forty days prior to election day, councils’ general managers are required to finalise the non-residential rolls:
- for elections administered by a provider other than the NSW Electoral Commissioner, the general manager is to confirm the non-residential rolls; and
- for elections administered by the Electoral Commissioner, the Commissioner is to confirm the roll after being certified by the general manager.
Key points
- Councils need to ensure that everyone eligible to vote at the upcoming local government elections has the opportunity to do so.Councils should include relevant information, including eligibility criteria and the process for making a claim for inclusion on the non-residential rolls on their websites.
- Customer services staff must be made aware of this issue in order to assist any person wishing to make a claim for inclusion on the rolls.
Where to go for further information
- For further information, contact the Office’s Council Governance Team on 4428 4100.
Luke Walton
Acting Deputy Secretary
Local Government, Planning and Policy