Elections to fill 5 casual vacancies on Victorian Branch Council
(AEC Industrial ballots E2025/209, E2026/7, E2026/25)
The CPSU SPSF Group Victorian Branch is a democratic organisation that is controlled by its members.
One way that members exercise that control is by running and/or voting in elections for the Branch’s 5 executive positions and 34 representatives on Victorian Branch Council. These elections are run independently by the Australian Electoral Commission.
Full Branch elections typically take place every four years, however the 2025 – 2028 term will be three years in length, due to COVID-related disruptions. The most recent full Branch election for the 2025 – 2028 term was declared on 16 July 2025.
Since that time, five of the 34 elected Branch Councillors have left, creating casual vacancies. As these vacancies arose in the first quarter of the term, the Branch is required to fill them via further elections, also run by the AEC. While the full details can be found in the formal Election Notice, the key information is summarised on this page.
Note also that the Branch leadership has given Branch staff clear directions on how they are to conduct themselves during Branch election periods.
Which positions are up for election?
There are 5 Branch Councillor positions across 4 Electorates that are up for election.
These are:
- Education (Metro), 1 position
- Justice (Metro), 1 position
- Central Agencies (Metro), 2 positions
- Barwon Southwestern Region (Regional), 1 position
Branch Council consists of 34 representatives across 9 Electorates. 5 of these Electorates are in the Melbourne metropolitan area, and cover members according to their employer. The remaining 4 are regional, and cover members according to their worksite postcode. Members are only members of a single Electorate.
You can find out which electorate you are in on this page.
Who can nominate? How do I nominate?
Only members in the Electorates that have casual vacancies on Branch Council can run, and only for a position in their Electorate.
You can nominate by submitting this form via email to IEBnominations@aec.gov.au. When sending nominations via email, please use the subject line as: “E2025/209, E2026/7 & E2026/25 – Nomination [Name of candidate]”
Additional criteria for nominating are:
- You must be financial, with no union dues in arrears,
- You must have joined by or before the 17th of February 2026,
- You must be nominated by at least 2 other members of the Victorian Branch, both of whom also joined by or before the 17th of February 2026, and
- You must be eligible for enrolment in the union under the Chapter A rules of the CPSU.
If I nominate, can I get a list of eligible voters?
If your nomination is accepted, you are entitled to access the voting roll for your Electorate.
This process is managed by the AEC, rather the union, and will require you to sign an undertaking (known formally as a deed poll) that you will only use the roll for its intended purpose and destroy it at the conclusion of the election.
The Union will not supply voting roles independent of this process to any candidate.
If I nominate, do I get to submit a candidate statement for the voting pack?
Yes. Candidates may submit a statement to be included with the ballot material.
Please email your statement to IEBnominations@aec.gov.au, following these guidelines:
- Submit your statement in Microsoft Word format.
- Keep your statement to 200 words or fewer per candidate.
The subject line of your candidate statement email should include the reference: “E2025/209, E2026/7 & E2026/25 – Candidate Statement [Name of candidate]”
Does everyone get to vote?
Only full financial members in those Electorates that have casual vacancies on Branch Council will vote, and only for the candidates running in their Electorate.
Note that if the number of nominees and vacant positions in any Electorate is equal at the time nominations close, that election will be declared unopposed by the AEC, and there will be no ballot.
How do I vote?
Voting for this election is via postal ballot.
The AEC will send a voting pack to the postal address you have registered with the Union in the week commencing 7 April 2026. This pack will include detailed instructions on how to formally complete the ballot and return it to the AEC. Make sure to login in now and check that your postal address is up to date!
If you do not receive your voting pack by the 17th of April, contact the AEC to request a replacement by email at or by phone on either 02 9375 6366 or 03 9285 7111.
Election timetable
The AEC has scheduled these elections to run via the following timetable:
| DATE | EVENT |
| 24/02/2026 | Nominations open. |
| 10/03/2026 |
Nominations close at 12PM. Nominations cannot be withdrawn after 12PM on this day. |
| 17/03/2026 | Candidate statements due. |
| If a ballot is required | |
| 07/04/2026 | Postal ballot opens. |
| 05/05/2026 | Postal ballot closes at 10AM. |
| 19/05/2026 |
The latest date on which the election could be declared. The AEC commits to declaring the election within 14-days of the close of the ballot. |
Contact information
|
The Returning officer responsible for conducting the election is: Ann Dougan
|
The Branch officer responsible for overseeing the elections is: Mitch Vandewerdt-Holman
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