A new system for distributing preferences and removing the need for a by-election if a vacancy occurs are among changes to be made to regulations governing council elections.
Minister for Local Government Gabrielle Upton said the changes would make the outcome of council elections fairer and save ratepayers money.
They will be introduced for the next local government elections in 2020.
Ms Upton tabled the government’s response to the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters, which will align council and state government election practices.
Ms Upton said the government accepted all 10 recommendations in the committee’s report, which would “increase transparency and accuracy of council elections and improve public confidence in the system”.
The minister said changes to the way candidate preferences were distributed would ensure the outcome of a council election was transparent, fair and accurate.
“When a candidate reaches the quota and is elected, their surplus votes are transferred to other candidates according to the numbered preferences on a ballot paper,” she said.
“Currently, these surplus votes are distributed based on a random sample which could potentially introduce an element of luck into the outcome of elections.
“Under the changes, random samples will no longer be used. Instead a new fractional transfer system called the ‘weighted inclusive Gregory method’ will be adopted to ensure that all votes are counted which will improve the fairness and accuracy of the election outcome.”
Ms Upton said councils would also have the option of filling a councillor vacancy without holding a costly by-election.
“Currently, if a councillor resigns within 18 months of being elected, a by-election must be held to fill the vacancy,” she said.
“The local community bears the cost and residents have to put up with the inconvenience of having to vote again just to replace one councillor.
“Under these changes, by-elections will no longer need to be held and the vacancy can be filled by a vote countback process where the next candidate in line will be elected.”