The 2024 Queensland local elections were held on 16 March 2024 to elect the mayors and councils of the 77 local government areas in Queensland, Australia.
The original scheduled elections date of 30 March 2024 was moved ahead to 16 March to avoid clashing with Easter holidays.
The elections were held on the same day as the state by-elections in Inala and Ipswich West.
There was a surprisingly large number of candidates elected unopposed in many council elections across Queensland, including some mayoral races. The lack of opposition to these candidates was criticised by experts as being bad for democracy.
Electoral systems Like at state and federal elections, voting at Queensland local elections is compulsory. The elections are conducted by the Electoral Commission of Queensland (ECQ).
Mayors and single-member wards All 77 councils use optional preferential voting (OPV) for mayoral elections. Under this system, voters are only required to vote for one candidates, although they can choose to preference other candidates.
In the 22 councils that use single-member wards (including Brisbane, Gold Coast and Townsville) OPV is also used.
Multi-member wards
Only Ipswich uses multi-member wards, with four two-member wards (resulting in eight total councillors).
No form of preferential voting is in place, with plurality block voting − also referred to as first-past-the-post by the ECQ − instead used. Voters are only required to mark the same amount of candidates as there are positions to be elected (in the case of Ipswich, two candidates).
Undivided councils 54 councils are undivided, meaning they do not use any forms of wards and all councillors are elected to a single area representing the entire council.
Plurality block voting is used for these councils.
Candidates 1,422 candidates were nominated for the elections at the close of nominations on 14 February 2024.
Steve "Jacko" Jackson, a former rugby league footballer, ran for mayor of Mackay. Former MP George Christensen contested Mackay Regional Council as a candidate for Jackson's Mackay First ticket.
Another former federal MP, Andrew Laming, ran for mayor of Redland. On 25 January 2024, he confirmed he had dropped his Liberal National Party (LNP) membership, saying it had "no place" at a local level". 15 mayoral positions and 46 councillor positions were uncontested, the highest number since 2012.
On 21 February, the LNP disendorsed Brisbane City Council candidate Brock Alexander after comments he allegedly made about the parents of Daniel Morecombe came to light. Alexander was a candidate for Deagon Ward, and his name still appeared on the ballot as he was disendorsed after the close of nominations.
An analysis from the ABC found that over 10% of independents in the elections were members of a political party.
Party changes before elections A number of councillors joined, left or formed parties before the 2024 elections. Council Ward Councillor Former party New party Date Gold Coast Division 9 Glenn Tozer Independent LNP Independent June 2020 Cairns Division 2 Rob Pyne Independent Socialist Socialist Alliance 23 September 2020 Redland Mayor Karen Williams Independent Independent LNP 17 May 2021 Cairns Division 9 Brett Olds Independent LNP Independent 20 September 2021 Moreton Bay Division 7 Yvonne Barlow Independent LNP Independent 2022 Scenic Rim Mayor Greg Christensen Independent LNP Independent 26 April 2023 Cairns Division 5 Amy Eden Cairns Unity Team Eden 14 July 2023 Mackay Unsubdivided Belinda Hassan Greg Williamson Alliance Independent Labor 15 December 2023 Mackay Unsubdivided Fran Mann Greg Williamson Alliance Independent Labor 15 December 2023 Mackay Unsubdivided Justin Englert Greg Williamson Alliance Independent 15 December 2023 Mackay Unsubdivided Pauline Townsend Greg Williamson Alliance Independent 15 December 2023
Results
All changes compared with the 2020 elections.
PartyVotes%SwingSeatsCouncils Number Change Number Change Liberal National 329,282 18 1 1 Mackay First 233,137 4 4 0 Labor 188,946 5 0 Say NO to WOKE 50,418 0 0 Westgarths 43,665 0 0 Your Voice Of Experience 27,288 2 0 Better Brighter Ipswich 23,613 1 1 0 Working For Our Community 21,621 0 0 Independent Federation 18,801 0 0 Community Centred and Connected 16,715 0 0 Team Sheila Ireland 10,256 0 0 Independent Socialist Alliance 2,296 1 1 0 Independent United Australia 2,220 0 0 Independent Democratic 545 0 0 Independent 446 Independent Liberal National 40 1 Independent Labor 29 0 Greens 2 1 0 Animal Justice 0 0 Independent Animal Justice 1 1 0 Team Eden 1 1 0 Cairns Unity Team 3 3 0 1 Jos Mitchell Leading Change 3 3 0 Team Jenny Hill 4 5 0 1 Team Barwick 0 0 Community First 0 0 TownsvilleCHANGE 2 2 0 Team MacRae 4 0 A Better Lockyer 1 0 Unity Maranoa 1 0 Team Greg Williamson 2 4 0 1 Locals United - Back to Basics 0 0 Independent Legalise Cannabis 0 0 Independent One Nation 0 0 Independent National 0 0 Independent Indigenous 0 0 Independent Democrats 0 0 Formal votes Informal votes Total Registered voters / turnout
Council control LGA Elected mayor Council control Mayor Party 2020 result 2024 result Aurukun Barbara Bandicootcha Balonne Samantha O'Toole Banana Neville Ferrier Barcaldine Rob Chandler Barcoo Sally O'Neil Blackall-Tambo Andrew Martin Boulia Eric (Rick) Britton Brisbane Adrian Schrinner Bulloo John (Tractor) Ferguson Bundaberg Helen Blackburn Burdekin Pierina Dalle Cort Burke Ernie Camp Cairns Amy Eden Carpentaria Jack Bawden Cassowary Coast Teresa Millwood Central Highlands Janice Moriarty Charters Towers Liz Schmidt Cherbourg Bruce Simpson Cloncurry Greg Campbell Cook Robyn Holmes Croydon Trevor Pickering Diamantina Francis Murray Doomadgee Fredrick O'Keefe Douglas Lisa Scomazzon Etheridge Barry Hughes Flinders Kate Peddle Fraser Coast George Seymour Gladstone Matt Burnett Gold Coast Tom Tate Goondiwindi Laurence Springborg Gympie Glen Hartwig Hinchinbrook Ramon Jayo Hope Vale Bruce Gibson Ipswich Teresa Harding Isaac Kelly Vea Vea Kowanyama Territa Dick Livingstone Adam Belot Lockhart River Wayne Butcher Lockyer Valley Tanya Milligan Logan Jon Raven Longreach Tony Rayner Mackay Greg Williamson Mapoon Ronaldo Guivarro Maranoa Wendy Taylor Mareeba Angela Toppin McKinlay Janene Fegan Moreton Bay Peter Flannery Mornington Richard Sewter Mount Isa Peta MacRae Murweh Shaun Radnedge Napranum Roy Chevathen Noosa Frank Wilkie North Burnett Les Hotz Northern Peninsula Robert Poipoi Palm Island Alf Lacey Paroo Suzette Beresford Pormpuraaw Ralph Kendall Quilpie Benjamin Hall Redland Jos Mitchell Richmond John Wharton Rockhampton Tony Williams Scenic Rim Tom Sharp Somerset Jason Wendt South Burnett Kathy Duff Southern Downs Melissa Hamilton Sunshine Coast Rosanna Natoli Tablelands Rod Marti Toowoomba Geoff McDonald Torres Elsie Seriat Torres Strait Islands Phillemon Mosby Townsville Troy Thompson Western Downs Andrew Smith Whistunday Ry Collins Winton Cathy White Woorabinda Terence Munns Wujal Wujal Alister Gibson Yarrabah Daryl Sexton
See also 2024 Queensland mayoral elections 2024 Brisbane City Council election 2024 Cairns Regional Council election 2024 Ipswich City Council election 2024 Gold Coast City Council election 2024 Townsville City Council election
Notes
References