2024 VFF General Election

The VFF Constitution sets a two-year term limit for all VFF Office Bearers. The last election for President and Vice President was held in December 2022.  

The conduct of the 2024 VFF General Elections will be run in accordance with the VFF’s Constitution and Board approved Election Rules policy. Please click here to read more.  

The 2024 VFF General Elections will run in accordance with the VFF’s Election Rules policy. Please click here to read more. The process and timelines are outlined on the 2024 VFF General Elections webpage. 

Only eligible VFF voting members will be included in the Electoral Roll when it closes on 13 September 2024. VFF members must be financial and have full voting rights as per the VFF’s membership structure. VFF Bronze members do not have access to voting rights as part of their membership entitlements. Any member whose membership fees are overdue by 120 days or more, as at 13 September, is ineligible to vote in the upcoming election.

YES – subject to levies not being overdue by 120 days or more as at 13 September 2024. Any member whose membership levies are overdue by 120 days or more, as at 13 September, is ineligible to vote in the upcoming election. 

In accordance with the VFF Constitution and Election Rules the Returning Officer finalises the Electoral Roll on 13 September 2024 that will include all eligible voting members. Voting members are defined by the Constitution. Every member is responsible to ensure that their member and nominee details are up to date. Send updates to [email protected] before 13 September 2024.

To ensure the fairest possible process, the VFF will only accept questions from the individual asking the question and not on behalf of other eligible members. 

The member Electoral Roll is finalised on 13 September 2024. When candidates have lodged their nomination and had it accepted (any time after 11 October 2024), they can ask for (and receive) a copy of the electoral roll that relates to the office for which they have nominated.

Proxy votes are not permitted for this election, as this is a general election, not being held at a general meeting of members.  

The VFF will publish a Candidate biography on its website but cannot distribute other information on behalf of Candidates. This is to ensure the VFF remains completely independent during the 2024 VFF General Election process. Candidates can request an electoral roll after their nomination has been formally accepted after 11 October 2024 which can be used to distribute information by the candidate regarding the election.

The Returning Officer will invite Candidates to nominate one Scrutineer that may attend the vote counting in accordance with the Election Rules to monitor transparency and fairness of the election.  

The 2024 VFF General Elections are being conducted as approved by the Board and in accordance with the Election Rules that follow guidance provided by the Australian Electoral Commission. The voting system will be administered by VFF, under the direction of the VFF Returning Officer. When appointed, Scrutineers may monitor the election process during the counting of votes.

Ballots will be retained for 28 days following announcement of the 2024 VFF General Elections result. Following that, they will be destroyed. 

VFF Election rules require candidates and nominees to be eligible voting members as per their individual VFF membership type. As a result, VFF Bronze members are not eligible to be candidates or nominees.

Voter franchise, also known as suffrage or the right to vote, refers to the right of individuals to participate in electing representatives or making decisions through voting in elections. The extent of voter franchise can vary depending on legal, political and other systems, as it is subject to the specific circumstances and criteria of the particular election. The term is often discussed in the context of expanding or restricting voter rights within a group. As such the VFF constitution and rules define member’s voter franchise. 

The preliminary scrutiny is conducted by the Returning Officer to affect section 9.9.8. Ballots are opened or disclosed for assessment in accordance with section 3.9.14 during which scrutineers may be involved. 

To ensure the ballots are able to be assessed in the preferential voting system prescribed by the constitution.