Votes counted, results out for Tasmania's 29 local councils
After days of counting, the Tasmanian Electoral Commission has released the final results of the recent local government elections, with some unexpected results.
The 2026 local council elections in Tasmania have concluded, with results now available for all 29 local government areas. Tasmanians turned out in record-breaking numbers for this mandatory election, casting 85.6% of their votes. This marks an increase from the 2022 council election and sets a new national record for voter participation.
The election also saw a reduction in the number of councillors, from 263 to 213 statewide. The five largest councils, Hobart City, Launceston, Clarence, Kingborough, and Glenorchy, reduced their councillor seats from 12 to 9, while smaller councils will have seven.
Several notable mayors stepped down this election, including Hobart Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds, who had served for eight years. Other councils, such as Huon Valley, George Town, Latrobe, Meander Valley, Kingborough, Waratah-Wynyard, and West Tamar, saw their incumbent mayors not seek re-election. Dr. Kevin Bonham, an election analyst, noted that while there were fewer seats for incumbents, there was a significant number of new faces elected across the state.
This election saw some unusual results, such as Hobart electing a mayor who was the sixth candidate on the council ballot, a rare occurrence. In cases where a vacant mayoral position arose, the deputy mayor, if they ran, secured the role. At King Island and Tasman councils, more councillors were elected unopposed due to fewer nominations than vacancies.
In Hobart City Council, three incumbent councillors were unsuccessful, with two new candidates and one returning councillor who had previously served in state parliament as the primary reasons for their losses.
The swing to the right among Hobart voters was attributed to the strength of the candidates, as the left had Anna Reynolds and Helen Burnet in the previous election. Fewer new left candidates emerged to replace them, contributing to the shift in the council's composition. Unsuccessful candidates remain on the council bench until a vacancy occurs during their four-year term of office.
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