2028 New South Wales local elections

The 2028 New South Wales local elections are scheduled to held on 9 September 2028 to elect the councils of the 128 local government areas (LGAs) in New South Wales, Australia. A number of councils will also hold mayoral elections.
Clover Moore, who was re-elected to a record sixth term as Lord Mayor of Sydney in 2024, is not expected to seek re-election in 2028.
Electoral system
Like at state elections, New South Wales local elections use optional preferential voting. Under this system, voters are only required to vote for one candidate or group, although they can choose to preference other candidates.
All elections for councillor positions are elected using proportional representation. Some councils use a single ballot paper, while others have an Australian Senate-style ballot paper with above-the-line and below-the-line voting. Councils can be either undivided or be divided into wards ranging from two-member to five-member.
Voting is compulsory for anyone on the New South Wales state electoral roll. Property owners, rate-paying occupiers or lessees can apply to be on the "non-residential roll" in an LGA, as long as they are not already enrolled as a resident in that area and if they are eligible to be enrolled for state and federal elections. Voting is not compulsory for those on non-residential rolls, although it is still compulsory in the LGA where they are on the residential roll.
Electoral structure changes
A number of councils will change their electoral structures in 2028, following the results of referendums held in 2024.
Central Coast Council will reduce its amount of wards from five to three, cutting the total number of councillors from 15 to 9. Port Macquarie-Hastings Council, which is undivided, will reduce its number of councillors from nine to seven (including the mayor).

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