Local government elections 2026 


Local government election tagline - Make your mark. Vote local.

Candidate statements and photographs

Submissions are now closed. Candidate statements and photographs are available online and will be distributed to electors with ballot papers from Monday 5 October 2026.

This page contains the submission requirements and guidance provided to candidates during the election.

  Download the guide to candidate statement and photograph requirements

Use the same match code on both forms

Your nomination and candidate statement are separate processes. Create a short match code using letters and/or numbers, then enter the same code on:

  • your paper nomination form
  • the online candidate statement and photograph form.

This helps us match your statement and photograph to your nomination.

Submit early

Submit your material before 12 noon on Thursday 24 September 2026 if you want an opportunity to replace it should it not meet the requirements.

The TEC will review submitted statements and photographs against the published requirements. Where an item does not meet the requirements, we will email you within 24 hours of receiving it. You will then have 24 hours to submit a replacement.

Material submitted after 12 noon on Thursday 24 September must meet all requirements when submitted. If it does not, it will not be published.

We will use only the email address you provide on this online form. Please monitor it during the nomination period (including your junk/spam folder).

Your candidate statement

Your statement must:

  • be no more than 600 characters, including spaces and punctuation
  • not refer to another candidate by name unless you provide that candidate’s written consent
  • not refer to the office of Justice of the Peace
  • not refer to the offering, promising or giving of gifts, donations or prizes
  • not include swear words, offensive or vulgar language
  • not include material that could reasonably be construed as inciting hatred against a person or group
  • be written in English.

The form accepts plain text only. The TEC will apply standard formatting for publication, including removing paragraph breaks, emojis and list formatting. The TEC will not otherwise correct spelling, grammar, punctuation or wording.

It is advisable to lodge your nomination form as early as possible to allow enough time to review your nomination and any problems to be resolved before nominations close.

Before pasting your statement into the online form, we recommend you proof your text using desktop or online tools, or with the assistance of a colleague, friend or family member.

Your candidate photograph

Your photograph must be a recent, clear, high-resolution head-and-shoulders image of you only. It must have a plain, neutral or light-coloured background and be supplied as a JPG or PNG file.

It must not include text, logos, borders, graphics, filters, digital effects or digital zoom.

Accepted photographs will be converted to greyscale, have their background removed, and be sized and cropped consistently for publication.

Please note, in 2026, candidate statements published online will not contain a clickable web link for each candidate. Candidates may choose to provide a URL in the body of their 600 character (maximum) statement. It will be published as plain text and included in the character count - the TEC advises limiting the length of a URL.

Submit your statement

Candidate statements and phtographs can no longer be submitted. Nominations closed at noon on Monday 28 September 2026 for King Island and Tasman councilor vacancies, and at noon on Monday 21 September 2026 for all other councils.



  Back to top of page