The short answer

Wyndham City Council opens nominations for Heathdale Ward by-election after councillor resignation

The Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC) has opened candidate nominations for the Wyndham City Council Heathdale Ward by-election, triggered by the resignation of Councillor Jennie Barrera. Prospective candidates have from Monday 15 June until 12 noon on Tuesday 23 June 2026 to lodge their nomination in person at the election office at 45 Princes Highway, Werribee. The nomination fee is $250 and candidates must complete mandatory training before lodging. Election Manager Colleen Kopelke is encouraging anyone interested in representing their local community to nominate. The by-election will be conducted entirely by post, with ballot packs mailed to enrolled voters from Monday 13 July 2026 and voting closing at 6 pm on Friday 31 July 2026. This is one of several council by-elections the VEC is running across Victoria in mid-2026, filling vacancies that have arisen since the October 2024 general council elections.

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Evidence review

Why the by-election is happening

The Heathdale Ward by-election was triggered by the resignation of Councillor Jennie Barrera. Under the Local Government Act 2020, when a councillor vacates their position, the council must hold a by-election to fill the vacancy. The VEC was notified of the vacancy and set the election timetable accordingly. The close of roll was set at 4 pm on Wednesday 20 May 2026, meaning only voters who were correctly enrolled in Heathdale Ward by that date are entitled to vote.

Heathdale Ward is one of several wards within Wyndham City Council, a rapidly growing municipality in Melbourne's western suburbs. The ward covers residential areas including parts of Werribee and Hoppers Crossing. The VEC is conducting the by-election by postal vote only, a method commonly used for council by-elections in Victoria as it is cost-effective and allows all enrolled voters to participate without needing to attend a physical voting centre.

Evidence review

How to nominate as a candidate

Prospective candidates must meet several requirements before they can nominate. They must be an Australian citizen, be enrolled on the voters roll for Wyndham City Council, be eligible to become a councillor if elected, and have completed the mandatory candidate training before lodging their nomination. The VEC provided a candidate information session online via Microsoft Teams at 6 pm on Wednesday 10 June 2026 for those considering running.

Nominations must be lodged in person during business hours at the election office. Candidates need to make an appointment by calling 03 9678 1092 from Monday 15 June. The election office is located at 45 Princes Highway in Werribee, with entry via the main driveway at the rear carpark. The office will remain open on weekdays from Monday 15 June through to Friday 31 July 2026.

The nomination fee is $250, which must be paid at the time of lodging the nomination form. Late nominations will not be accepted under any circumstances after the 12 noon Tuesday 23 June deadline. Candidates can save time by using the Candidate Helper tool at candidatehelper.vec.vic.gov.au to pre-complete their nomination form online before attending their appointment.

Evidence review

Key dates and deadlines

The election follows a structured timeline established by the VEC. The close of roll for voter enrolment was 4 pm on Wednesday 20 May 2026. The candidate information session was held online on Wednesday 10 June. Nominations opened on Monday 15 June and close at 12 noon on Tuesday 23 June. Ballot packs will be mailed to all enrolled voters from Monday 13 July. Voting closes at 6 pm on Friday 31 July 2026.

The full election office operating period runs from Monday 15 June to Friday 31 July on weekdays. Voters who will be away during the voting period (13 July to 31 July) can request their ballot pack be redirected by completing an online form at vec.vic.gov.au/redirections, with requests due by Monday 15 June. Voters who are blind or have low vision can register for large print or braille ballot papers by 5 pm on Tuesday 16 June by calling 8620 1314.

Evidence review

Who can vote in this by-election

Two categories of voters are entitled to vote in the Heathdale Ward by-election: state-enrolled voters and council-enrolled voters. State-enrolled voters are those who are Australian citizens, aged 18 or over by Saturday 1 August 2026, living in Heathdale Ward, and correctly enrolled on the state electoral roll at their current address by 4 pm on 20 May 2026.

Council-enrolled voters include ratepayers who are property owners, occupiers, or corporation representatives who are not state-enrolled voters within the council area. This can include non-Australian citizens who live in and pay rates for a property in Heathdale Ward, as well as directors or company secretaries of corporations that pay rates in the ward. Council-enrolled voters can check their enrolment by contacting Wyndham City Council directly on 1300 023 411.

Voting in Victorian local government elections is compulsory for all enrolled voters. Those who fail to vote and do not have a valid excuse may be fined by the VEC. State-enrolled voters can sign up for the free VoterAlert service at vec.vic.gov.au/voteralert to receive election reminders by SMS and email.

Evidence review

What the postal voting process involves

This by-election is being conducted entirely by post, with no physical voting centres open on a single election day. All enrolled voters will receive a ballot pack in the mail from Monday 13 July containing a ballot paper, candidate statements, a ballot paper envelope for their completed vote, a reply-paid envelope for returning the material, and a leaflet with voting instructions in multiple languages.

To vote correctly, electors must place the number 1 in the box next to their preferred candidate, then number all remaining boxes in order of preference. Every box must be numbered and each number can only be used once. The completed ballot paper goes into the ballot paper envelope, the voter completes the declaration on that envelope, and the whole package is returned in the reply-paid envelope.

Completed ballot packs must be in the mail or hand-delivered to the election office at the Wyndham City Council Civic Centre, 45 Princes Highway, Werribee, by 6 pm on Friday 31 July. The VEC advises voters to post their completed ballot material as early as possible — ideally well before the deadline — to ensure it arrives in time to be counted. Voters should also check their local mail clearance times as these may be earlier than 6 pm, or earlier in the week.

Evidence review

How this fits into Victoria's council by-election landscape

The Wyndham by-election is one of several council by-elections the VEC is conducting across Victoria in mid-2026. Other concurrent by-elections include Kingston City Council Melaleuca Ward, Latrobe City Council Morwell River Ward, Mornington Peninsula Shire Briars Ward, Banyule City Council Beale Ward, and Greater Bendigo City Council Lockwood Ward. Each follows a broadly similar postal-voting model, though timelines vary depending on when each vacancy was notified.

The VEC's approach to postal-only voting for council by-elections has been refined over successive electoral cycles. It removes geographic barriers to participation, reduces costs compared to staffing physical voting centres, and accommodates the typically narrower timeframes of by-elections compared to general elections. The Victorian Parliament has supported this model through the Local Government Act 2020, which provides the legislative framework for how council vacancies are filled.

Common questions

Before you rely on the answer

Why is a by-election being held for Heathdale Ward?

The by-election was triggered by the resignation of Councillor Jennie Barrera. Under the Local Government Act 2020, when a councillor vacates their seat mid-term, a by-election must be held to fill the vacancy for the remainder of the term. The VEC has set the voting period with postal voting closing at 6 pm on Friday 31 July 2026.

How do I nominate as a candidate for the by-election?

Nominations are open from Monday 15 June until 12 noon Tuesday 23 June 2026. You must be an Australian citizen enrolled on the Wyndham City Council voters roll, complete mandatory candidate training before lodging, and pay a $250 nomination fee. Call 03 9678 1092 to make a nomination appointment. You must lodge your nomination in person at the election office at 45 Princes Highway, Werribee (enter via main driveway, rear carpark). You can pre-complete your form online using the Candidate Helper at candidatehelper.vec.vic.gov.au.

Do I need to enrol specially for this by-election?

The close of roll for this by-election was 4 pm Wednesday 20 May 2026. If you were correctly enrolled in Heathdale Ward by that date — either as a state-enrolled voter or a council-enrolled voter — you are automatically eligible to vote. If you were not enrolled by that date, you cannot vote in this by-election. Council-enrolled voters can check their status by contacting Wyndham City Council on 1300 023 411.

Source spine

Primary material used for this guide

Review trigger: Nominations close at 12 noon Tuesday 23 June 2026. After this deadline, the candidate list is finalised. Update when candidate names and ballot paper order are published by the VEC.

Archive note: Part 1 of 3 in the Wyndham City Council Heathdale Ward by-election series. This article covers the nomination opening stage. See also the candidates-announced article (24 June 2026) and ballot-packs-mailed article (13 July 2026).

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