Extra nominations have completed the candidate field for Tasmania’s 2026 local government elections, with contests now set for the last vacant council seats on King Island and in Tasman.
Three candidates have nominated for the two remaining councillor positions on King Island Council.
Eight have nominated for the single remaining spot on Tasman Council.
The extra round, which closed at noon on Monday, was needed after the original deadline passed without enough people coming forward.
Five candidates nominated for seven councillor positions on King Island, while six nominated for seven positions in Tasman.
Those 11 candidates were elected unopposed, leaving two vacancies on King Island and one in Tasman.
King Island voters will now choose two councillors, a mayor and a deputy mayor.
Tasman voters will choose one councillor, a mayor and a deputy mayor.
The late nominations bring the statewide total to 441 candidates across Tasmania’s 29 councils.
The full list is available on the Tasmanian Electoral Commission website.
Tasman Mayor Rod Macdonald said earlier this month he did not know why candidate numbers had been down.
“It’s hard to say really,” he said.
“I guess we’ll never really know why.”
King Island councillor David Bowden said at the time he was “rather puzzled” by the shortfall, but suspected cost of living pressures were keeping people away.
“Sometimes they’re doing two jobs, of course and they’re struggling to find time,” he said.
Candidate statements will be published online on Friday, October 2.
Postal ballot packs will start reaching voters from Monday, October 5.
Voting is compulsory and closes at 2pm on Tuesday, October 27.
