Notice of the 2024 VFF General Elections
The offices that will be contested by election and the candidates who will contest them as part of the 2024 VFF General Elections, are as follows:
VFF President:
- Candidate: CUCINOTTA, Danyel
- Candidate: HOSKING, Brett
VFF Vice-President:
- Candidate: FREE, Nathan
- Candidate: STAR, Peter
You can click here to view VFF President Nominee candidate profiles- please note, this information is provided directly by the candidates themselves.
There are a number of offices for which only a single nomination was received by the closing date. Candidates for these uncontested offices will be contacted.
Election results and uncontested positions will be formally announced on Friday 20 December 2024.
This election process will be conducted online for eligible voting members, with a postal voting option for those without a registered email address and those who specifically request it.
2024 VFF Election Timeline
Please see 2024 VFF Election Timeline below.
- 5 August 2024: VFF General Elections announced
- 30 August 2024: Preliminary Notice
- 13 September 2024: Membership electoral role closes
- 27 September 2024: Call for nominations
- 11 October 2024: Nominations closed
- 16 October 2024: Notice of election
- 18-20 November 2024: Online/ requested postal ballots distributed
- 25 November 2024: Voting open
- 6 December 2024: Voting closes
- 20 December 2024: Election results announced
Get to know your candidates
An online President forum will be held to ensure you have the opportunity to hear from VFF President candidates before casting your vote.
When: Thursday 14 November, 6:00pm 2024
Where: Online via Zoom
Register below.
The voting process
Voting in the 2024 VFF General Elections will be open for eligible voting VFF Members on Monday 25 November 2024 and close at COB Friday 6 December 2024.
The 2024 VFF General Elections are being conducted online and eligible voters will receive full voting instructions via their email before voting opens. You can request a postal vote option by emailing [email protected] before 12pm Friday October 25 2024 with your correct mailing address.
Please note, those without a registered email address with the VFF will receive a hard copy voting pack via their registered mailing address.
More information
Should you have any questions, a reminder to familiarise yourself with the VFF Election Rules and below FAQs and if you still have remaining questions, please send them to the VFF Returning Officer at [email protected] and the response will be posted in the below FAQs as soon as possible.
Frequently Asked Questions
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.