Who is elected

Each site's council holds elections to appoint its parent members. The membership structure of a council is different for each school or preschool, but most of the members must be elected parents.

Who can vote

Only parents at your site can vote, unless the site is mostly adult students.

Who does what

The returning officer is responsible for the nomination, election and appointment of the council members. This role is always done by the site leader (principal/director).

The returning officers’ guide to council elections (PDF 203 KB) provides direction to principals to support the conduct of governing council elections. The guide details various procedures and contains links to download templates, such as notice for calling for nominations, self-nomination, ballots and appointment forms.

When

Usually elections are held every year, but the timing of elections depends on when positions become vacant or are due to be filled – each member of the council can only stay for a maximum of 2 years.

How

Governing councils

Elections for governing councils can either be:

• by postal vote, or
• at a general meeting.

Planning elections

Each site's election can be different, but the suggested timeframe for election planning can help when you are getting ready.

Who is not allowed to be on the council

There is important detailed information about eligibility that you should read, but if you have any questions or concerns, please contact us.