2020 Victorian local elections#Countbacks

{{Infobox election

| country = Victoria

| type = parliamentary

| ongoing = no

| election_date = 24 October 2020

| previous_election = 2016 Victorian local elections

| previous_year = 2016

| next_election = 2024 Victorian local elections

| next_year = 2024

| registered =

| turnout =

| image1 = {{Election image filler|Independent politician|IND|150x150px}}

| leader1 = N/A

| party1 = Independents

| last_election1 =

| seats_before1 =

| seats1 = 566

| seat_change1 =

| popular_vote1 =

| percentage1 =

| swing1 =

| image3 = 150x150px

| leader3 = N/A

| party3 = Australian Labor Party (Victorian Branch)

| last_election3 =

| seats_before3 =

| seats3 = 13

| seat_change3 =

| popular_vote3 =

| percentage3 =

| swing3 =

| image2 = 150x150px

| leader2 = N/A

| party2 = Greens

| last_election2 = 29 seats

| seats_before2 = 28

| seats2 = 36

| seat_change2 = {{increase}} 10

| popular_vote2 =

| percentage2 =

| swing2 =

| image5 = {{Election image filler|Animal Justice Party|AJP|150x150px}}

| leader5 = No leader

| party5 = Animal Justice

| last_election5 = 0

| seats_before5 = 0

| seats5 = 2

| seat_change5 = {{increase}} 2

| popular_vote5 =

| percentage5 =

| swing5 =

| image4 = {{Election image filler|Liberal Democratic Party (Australia)|LDP|150x150px}}

| leader4 = No leader

| party4 = Liberal Democratic Party (Australia)

| last_election4 = 1

| seats_before4 = 0

| seats4 = 2

| color4 =

| seat_change4 = {{increase}} 2

| popular_vote4 =

| percentage4 =

| swing4 =

| image6 = {{Election image filler|Victorian Socialists|VS|150x150px}}

| leader6 = No leader

| party6 = Victorian Socialists

| last_election6 = Did not exist

| seats_before6 = 0

| seats6 = 1

| seat_change6 = {{increase}} 1

| popular_vote6 =

| percentage6 =

| swing6 =

| image7 = {{Election image filler|Sustainable Australia|SAP|150x150px}}

| leader7 = William Bourke

| party7 = Sustainable

| color7 = 028752

| last_election7 = 0 seats

| seats_before7 = 1

| seats7 = 0

| seat_change7 = {{decrease}} 1

| popular_vote7 =

| percentage7 =

| swing7 =

| map_image = 2020 Victorian local elections.jpg

| map_caption = Results by LGA

}}

The 2020 Victorian local elections were held on 24 October 2020 to elect the councils of 76 of the 79 local government areas in Victoria, Australia.{{cite web |title=2020 council election results |url=https://www.vec.vic.gov.au/results/council-election-results/2020-council-election-results |publisher=Victorian Electoral Commission |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231228083807/https://www.vec.vic.gov.au/results/council-election-results/2020-council-election-results |archive-date=28 December 2023}}

Three councils did not hold elections − South Gippsland (dismissed in June 2019), Casey (dismissed in February 2020) and Whittlesea (dismissed in March 2020). An election for South Gippsland was held in October 2021, while Casey and Whittlesea did not have their elections until 2024.{{cite web |title=Casey City Council |url=https://www.vec.vic.gov.au/electoral-boundaries/local-councils/casey-city-council#:~:text=Casey%20City%20Council%20was%20dismissed,will%20be%20in%20October%202024. |publisher=Victorian Electoral Commission}}

Background

The elections were held amid the COVID-19 Pandemic in Australia, with Melbourne still in lockdown at the time of the elections.{{cite web |title=Covid: Melbourne's hard-won success after a marathon lockdown |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-54654646 |publisher=BBC News}} A survey conducted in April 2020 showed that a significant majority of councils wanted the elections postponed for a year.{{cite web |title=Councils want local elections put on ice, say 'pros outweigh the cons' |url=https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/councils-want-local-elections-put-on-ice-say-pros-outweigh-the-cons-20200422-p54m41.html |publisher=The Age}} However, Minister for Local Government Shaun Leane announced on 19 August that the elections would go ahead as scheduled.{{cite web |title=Local Government Elections To Go Ahead In October |url=https://www.premier.vic.gov.au/local-government-elections-go-ahead-october |publisher=Premier of Victoria}}

Eight councils changed their electoral structure ahead of the election, moving to single-member wards as a result of the Local Government Act 2020:{{cite web |title=Electoral structure changes for 2020 |url=https://www.localgovernment.vic.gov.au/our-programs/local-government-act-2020-1/electoral-structure-changes-for-2020 |publisher=Department of Government Services}}

Additionally, Swan Hill and Mansfield moved to an unsubdivided structure.

Political parties

The Liberal Party does not endorse candidates for local elections in Victoria. Labor chose to endorse some candidates, and some local party branches also made their own endorsements.{{cite web |title=Boroondara City Council |url=https://www.burwoodliberals.org/boroondara-city-council |publisher=Burwood Liberals |access-date=11 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201111002550/https://www.burwoodliberals.org/boroondara-city-council |archive-date=11 November 2020}}{{cite web |last1=Mahoney |first1=Gavin |title=2020 Victorian Local Government Election Results and Analysis |url=https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5aa8ae38266c07fe6b490973/t/5fab1ce1ac99946fb7aadad4/1605049579716/SCG_2020+Victorian+Local+Government+Election+Analysis.pdf |publisher=Spence Consulting Group |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230611112017/https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5aa8ae38266c07fe6b490973/t/5fab1ce1ac99946fb7aadad4/1605049579716/SCG_2020+Victorian+Local+Government+Election+Analysis.pdf |archive-date=11 June 2023}} Australian Progressives co-founder Peter Wingate contested Yarraville Ward in Maribyrnong as the party's first ever local elections candidate.{{cite web |last1=Wingate |first1=Peter |title=Vote for Me... I Hate Politicians! |url=https://thewestsider.com.au/vote-for-me-i-hate-politicians/ |publisher=The Westsider}}

Labor endorsed a total of 38 candidates in the following LGAs:{{cite web |title=Labor Party to endorse Ballarat council candidates |url=https://www.thecourier.com.au/story/6591706/labor-party-to-endorse-ballarat-council-candidates-during-election/ |publisher=The Courier}}{{cite web |last1=Dmytryshchak |first1=Goya |title=ALP’s council candidates |url=https://maribyrnonghobsonsbay.starweekly.com.au/news/alps-council-candidates/ |publisher=Star Weekly |access-date=18 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200928154235/https://maribyrnonghobsonsbay.starweekly.com.au/news/alps-council-candidates/ |archive-date=28 September 2020 |date=29 July 2020}}{{cite web |title=Wodonga Council Election Campaign Donation Returns Disclosure |url=https://www.wodonga.vic.gov.au/Portals/0/Downloads/D20.135399%20%202020%20Election%20Campaign%20Donation%20Return%20register.pdf?ver=2020-12-03-170219-647 |publisher=City of Wodonga}}

Ballarat (6 candidates)
Hobsons Bay (3 candidate)
Maribyrnong (7 candidates)
Melbourne (5 candidates)
Moonee Valley (6 candidates)
Moreland (5 candidates)
Wodonga (1 candidate)
Yarra (5 candidates)

Additionally, the Labor Members for Darebin group endorsed 10 candidates (later disendorsing one). The ALP distanced themselves from the group, saying they did not endorse any candidates in Darebin.{{cite web |last1=Booker |first1=Chloe |title=Labor distances itself from 'Islamophobic' Darebin council candidate |url=https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/labor-distances-itself-from-islamophobic-darebin-council-candidate-20201008-p56347.html |publisher=The Age}}

Six other VEC-registered parties endorsed candidates:

The Greens (88 candidates)
Victorian Socialists (19 candidates)
Animal Justice Party (16 candidates)
Liberal Democrats (10 candidates)
Reason Party (7 candidates)
Sustainable Australia Party (6 candidates)

The "Put Climate First" alliance endorsed candidates in Darebin, Greater Geelong and Surf Coast.{{cite web |title=Who we are |url=https://putclimatefirst.org/about/ |publisher=Put Climate First |access-date=18 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240918073116/https://putclimatefirst.org/about/ |archive-date=18 September 2024}}

Candidates

A total of 2,186 candidates contested the elections.{{cite web |title=Nominations are in for October local council elections |url=https://www.vec.vic.gov.au/about-us/media/nominations-are-in-for-october-local-council-elections |publisher=Victorian Electoral Commission |access-date=1 October 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241001101120/https://www.vec.vic.gov.au/about-us/media/nominations-are-in-for-october-local-council-elections |archive-date=1 October 2024 |date=18 September 2024}}

Party changes before elections

A number of councillors joined or left parties before the 2020 elections.

class="wikitable sortable"
Council	Ward	Councillor	colspan="2" \| Former party	colspan="2" \| New party	Date
Greater Dandenong \| Silverleaf \| Maria Sampey \| {{Australian party style\|independent labor}}\| \| Independent Labor \| {{Australian party style\|labor}}\| \| Labor \| 2017
Yarra \| Langridge \| Stephen Jolly \| {{Australian party style\|victorian socialists}}\| \| The Socialists \| {{Australian party style\|independent socialist}}\| \| Independent Socialist \| November 2017
Monash \| Glen Waverley \| Lynette Saloumi \| {{Australian party style\|independent}}\| \| Independent \| {{Australian party style\|sustainable australia}}\| \| Sustainable Australia \| 2018
Maribyrnong \| Stony Creek \| Catherine Cumming \| {{Australian party style\|independent}}\| \| Independent \| {{Australian party style\|derryn hinch's justice party}}\| \| Justice \| 2 February 2018
Yarra \| Langridge \| Stephen Jolly \| {{Australian party style\|independent socialist}}\| \| Independent Socialist \| {{Australian party style\|victorian socialists}}\| \| Victorian Socialists \| 5 February 2018
Moreland \| North-West \| Oscar Yildiz \| {{Australian party style\|labor}}\| \| Labor \| {{Australian party style\|independent}}\| \| Independent \| 7 June 2018
Glenelg \| Unsubdivided \| Anita Rank \| {{Australian party style\|liberal}}\| \| Independent Liberal \| {{Australian party style\|nationals}}\| \| Independent National \| 8 June 2018
Darebin \| Rucker \| Kim Le Cerf \| {{Australian party style\|greens}}\| \| Greens \| {{Australian party style\|independent}}\| \| Independent \| 28 December 2018
Moyne \| Unsubdivided \| Jim Doukas \| {{Australian party style\|country alliance}}\| \| Country \| {{Australian party style\|independent}}\| \| Independent \| Late 2018
Casey \| Four Oaks \| Rosalie Crestani \| {{Australian party style\|rise up australia}}\| \| Rise Up Australia \| {{Australian party style\|independent}}\| \| Independent \| 26 June 2019
Yarra \| Langridge \| Stephen Jolly \| {{Australian party style\|victorian socialists}}\| \| Victorian Socialists \| {{Australian party style\|independent socialist}}\| \| Independent Socialist \| 23 September 2019
Whittlesea \| North \| Emilia Sterjova \| {{Australian party style\|labor}}\| \| Labor \| {{Australian party style\|independent}}\| \| Independent \| 9 February 2020
Casey \| Springfield \| Sam Aziz \| {{Australian party style\|liberal}}\| \| Liberal \| {{Australian party style\|independent}}\| \| Independent \| 16 February 2020

class="wikitable sortable"

Council

Ward

Councillor

colspan="2" | Former party

colspan="2" | New party

Date

Greater Dandenong

| Silverleaf

| Maria Sampey

| {{Australian party style|independent labor}}|

| Independent Labor