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The City of Melville’s postal extraordinary election to replace Palmyra-Melville-Willagee Ward councillor Tomas Fitzgerald has already taken place: Michael McGoldrick was elected on 26 March 2026. PerthNow reported that the City set aside $80,000 for the election, but that figure is an allocation, not a confirmed final bill. Council minutes record a separate WA Electoral Commission estimate of $70,000 excluding GST.
Why Melville needed an extraordinary election
Tomas Fitzgerald resigned from the City of Melville council in September 2025. PerthNow reported that he had resigned to run unsuccessfully for mayor of the neighbouring Town of East Fremantle. His departure left a vacancy in the Palmyra-Melville-Willagee Ward.
The vacancy could not be filled at the October 2025 local government election because nominations had already closed. The City therefore arranged a postal extraordinary election for the ward.
What the reported $80,000 means
PerthNow reported that the City allocated $80,000 to pay the WA Electoral Commission to conduct the postal election. That is a reported budget allocation; the sources available do not establish the final expenditure or the amount ultimately paid.
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Confirmed City of Melville council minutes from 18 November 2025 record a WAEC written estimate of $70,000 excluding GST. The estimate and the reported allocation are different figures with different bases. The available records do not explain the difference, and the estimate should not be treated as a final invoice or as proof of the election’s eventual cost.
What happened during the vacancy
While the ward had no councillor of its own, PerthNow reported that Karen Wheatland was its sole remaining councillor. At a council briefing, the City’s head of governance, Corrine Newman, said: “All residents in the City of Melville are represented by all elected members around the table tonight,” she said. “So where the current elected member for that particular ward feels that they need support, they do have the support of all of their colleagues.”
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The postal extraordinary election was held on 26 March 2026. The WA Electoral Commission lists the City of Melville ward among the elections held on that date. The City announced on 27 March that Michael McGoldrick had been elected and was due to be sworn in on 31 March.
The sources cited here do not establish vote totals, turnout, the final invoice, or the amount actually paid by the City.
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Sources
- PerthNow reporting on Fitzgerald’s resignation, the reported allocation, and representation during the vacancy.
- City of Melville confirmed council minutes, 18 November 2025, recording WAEC’s estimate.
- Western Australian Electoral Commission election information for 26 March 2026.
- City of Melville election result notice, 27 March 2026.
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