© 2026 Zoe. All rights reserved.
Zoe is a legal information platform. Always consult the official source for authoritative text.
Queensland act
What this law does: This is Queensland's Local Government Electoral Act 2011, which sets the rules for how local council elections are run across the state. It covers everything from who can vote and stand as a candidate, to how votes are counted and how much money candidates can spend on their campaigns.
Who it affects:
Key things the law does:
Elections must be held every four years (quadrennial elections), with by-elections held when vacancies occur
Two voting systems are used:
Spending caps limit how much candidates and parties can spend on campaigns – ranging from $6,000 for unregistered third parties up to $1.3 million for Brisbane mayoral candidates
Want the full deep dive?
Zoe can write the in-depth analysis on top of the summary above: how it works, who it affects and what each part actually does.
Direct links to the current provisions in Local Government Electoral Act 2011.
Zoe has indexed the source text for search and analysis. Use the official register for the original document and download formats.
View on official registerSourced from Queensland Legislation (legislation.qld.gov.au), CC BY 4.0.
Financial disclosure rules require candidates, parties and third parties to report gifts and loans over $500, and electoral expenditure
Property developer donations are banned – property developers and their close associates cannot make political donations
Strict rules for electoral officers – returning officers and assistants must not be members of political parties
Multiple ways to vote – ordinary voting at polling booths, pre-poll voting, postal voting, and electronically assisted voting for people with disabilities
Groups of candidates can form to campaign together, with shared spending caps and disclosure obligations
The law aims to ensure elections are fair, transparent and free from corruption, while making sure voters have accessible ways to participate.