Local government elections 2025: More than half of Great Southern yet to vote, average return rate of 31.73pc

Five days out from the close of polling, more than half of voters in the Great Southern have not returned their completed ballot papers, according to statistics from the WA Electoral Commission.

As of October 13, the City of Albany holds a 30.81 per cent return rate, with 9346 of its total 30,332 electors having cast their votes so far.

The Shire of Denmark has fared better, with 1939 of its total 5490 voters representing a 35.32 per cent return rate.

The Shire of Plantagenet trails behind with 29.07 per cent of voters — 1219 out of a possible 4194 — having already submitted their ballots.

The WAEC said the 2025 election had so far seen a stronger early participation rate than the 2023 one, with more than 113,000 postal votes received by September 26.

In 2023, the City of Albany’s total voter turnout rate was 38.65 per cent, while the Shire of Denmark recorded a turnout of 45.28 per cent and the Shire of Plantagenet a rate of 43.75 per cent.

Voters who have not yet submitted their completed ballot papers must take them to their local government’s administrative building before 6pm on October 18 to have their vote counted.

To inform voters in the shires of Denmark and Plantagenet, and in the City of Albany, the Advertiser reached out to all 40 candidates with a questionnaire asking why they would be the best person for the job.

You can read their response at albanyadvertiser.com.au