Next Australian Capital Territory election

2028 Australian Capital Territory election
21 October 2028[1]
All 25 seats in the ACT Legislative Assembly
13 seats needed for a majority
 
Leader Andrew Barr Mark Parton
Party Labor Liberal
Leader since 11 December 2014 10 November 2025
Leader's seat Kurrajong Brindabella
Last election 10 seats, 34.1% 9 seats, 33.5%
Current seats 10 8
Seats needed Increase 3 Increase 5
 
Leader Jo Clay Fiona Carrick
Party Greens Fiona Carrick
Leader since 15 May 2026 7 June 2024
Leader's seat Ginninderra Murrumbidgee
Last election 4 seats, 12.2% 1 seat, 2.7%
Current seats 4 1
Seats needed Increase 9 N/A
Incumbent Chief Minister

Andrew Barr
Labor


An election is expected to be held in the Australian Capital Territory on 21 October 2028 to elect all 25 members of the unicameral ACT Legislative Assembly.[2]

The Labor Party, led by chief minister Andrew Barr, has been in government in the ACT since 2001 and will be seeking an eighth consecutive term in office.[3] They are expected to be challenged by the Liberal Party, the Greens, several other minor parties and independents.[4][5]

Background

Assembly composition

Independents for Canberra (IFC) won 8.5% of the vote at the 2024 election, with one candidate – party leader Thomas Emerson – elected in the Kurrajong electorate. On 5 February 2025, Emerson resigned from IFC.[6] The party was subsequently voluntarily deregistered on 10 July 2025.[7][8]

On 28 October 2025, then opposition leader Leanne Castley suspended Peter Cain and Elizabeth Lee from the Liberal Party caucus because of their decision to cross the floor and vote for a longer parliamentary sitting calendar.[9][10] Castley, along with her deputy, resigned on 10 November 2025 and was replaced by Mark Parton under whom Cain and Lee returned to the partyroom.

On 20 April 2026, ACT Greens Leader Shane Rattenbury announced his retirement from politics after 17 years, triggering a countback in the electorate of Kurrajong and resulting in Deputy Leader Jo Clay becoming leader until a ballot of members is held.[11]

A leadership ballot of Greens members, held between 15 and 28 June 2026, elected Jo Clay as party leader and Andrew Braddock as deputy leader.

On 23 July 2026, Deputy Chief Minister Yvette Berry resigned from the cabinet to sit as a backbencher following the handing down of a report from the Integrity Commission which found "serious corrupt conduct" of her former Chief of Staff and the director general of the Education Directorate. She was replaced as Deputy Chief Minister by Rachel Stephen-Smith andher other portfolios were distributed in a reshuffle that saw Caitlin Tough elevated to the cabinet.[12]

Electoral system

The election will be conducted by the ACT Electoral Commission (also known as Elections ACT).[13]

All members of the Legislative Assembly are elected by the Hare-Clark system of proportional representation, with the parliament divided into five electorates, each electing five members:

Political parties

As of November 2025, 13 political parties are registered with Elections ACT.[14] Additionally, One Nation has stated their intentions to contest the 2028 election.[15][16] Furthermore, a currently unanmed party led by Independents for Canberra founder Clair Carnell will launch in Spring of 2026 with aims to contest the election.[17]

Opinion polling

Voting intention

Date Polling firm Client Interview
mode		 Sample
size		 Primary vote
ALP LIB GRN ONP IND[a] OTH
2–16 Jul 2026 DemosAU/Premier National[18] N/a Online 979 32% 21% 11% 14% 19% 3%
19 Oct 2025 Election 34.1% 33.5% 12.2% — 13% 7%

Preferred Chief Minister

Date Polling firm Client Sample
size		 Party leaders Lead
Barr Parton Unsure
17–20 Dec DemosAU/Premier National[19] N/a 979 46% 32% 22% 14

Approval polling

Party leaders

Date Polling firm Client Sample
size		 Barr Parton Clay Carrick
Pos. Neg. Net Pos. Neg. Net Pos. Neg. Net Pos. Neg. Net
2–16 Jul DemosAU/Premier National[19] N/a 979 33% 38% -5 26% 26% 0 20% 29% -9 12% 12% 0

Other MLAs

Date Polling firm Client Sample
size		 Berry Emerson Castley
Pos. Neg. Net Pos. Neg. Net Pos. Neg. Net
2–16 Jul DemosAU/Premier National[19] N/a 979 22% 31% -9 14% 12% +2 10% 21% -11

Notes

  1. ↑ Includes IFC, FCI, SI, and Ungrouped IND

References

  1. ↑ "So when is the next federal election? A quick guide". Parliament of Australia. 22 August 2022. Archived from the original on 5 October 2024. Retrieved 6 November 2025. ACT Legislative Assembly elections are held on the third Saturday in October every 4 years.
  2. ↑ Lindell, Jasper (2 October 2024). "No Woden light rail contract signed until after 2028 ACT election". The Canberra Times. Archived from the original on 6 November 2025. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  3. ↑ Nothling, Lily (19 October 2025). "It's been called Canberra's 'forever government' — but ACT Labor's brand is growing tired". ABC News. Archived from the original on 6 November 2025. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  4. ↑ Lindell, Jasper (8 May 2025). "'We will need every one': Castley not interested in ACT public service cuts". The Canberra Times. Archived from the original on 9 May 2025. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  5. ↑ Fenwicke, Claire (17 July 2025). "Independents for Canberra is no more, Canberra Socialists get ready to launch". Region Canberra. Archived from the original on 22 July 2025. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  6. ↑ "Current Members of the legislative assembly". Elections ACT. 11 July 2024. Archived from the original on 13 March 2025. Retrieved 10 July 2025. Mr Emerson was elected as a candidate for the registered political party, Independents for Canberra. Mr Emerson resigned from the party on 5 February 2025 to sit in the Assembly as a non-party MLA.
  7. ↑ "Deregistration of Independents for Canberra". Elections ACT. 10 July 2025. Archived from the original on 10 July 2025. Retrieved 10 July 2025.
  8. ↑ Lindell, Jasper (10 July 2025). "No longer a political party, Independents for Canberra vows to stay involved". The Canberra Times. Archived from the original on 10 July 2025. Retrieved 10 July 2025.
  9. ↑ Bovill, Monte (28 October 2025). "Canberra Liberals suspend backbenchers Elizabeth Lee and Peter Cain from party room". ABC News. Archived from the original on 6 November 2025. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  10. ↑ Bushnell, Ian (28 October 2025). "Divided Liberals: Castley suspends Cain and Lee from party room". Region Canberra. Archived from the original on 6 November 2025. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  11. ↑ Burnside, Niki (20 April 2026). "ACT Greens leader Shane Rattenbury leaving politics after 17 years". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 20 April 2026. Retrieved 20 April 2026.
  12. ↑ "ACT Education Minister Yvette Berry resigns from cabinet after 'serious corrupt conduct' findings in her portfolio". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 23 July 2026. Retrieved 23 July 2026.
  13. ↑ Coleman, James (11 February 2025). "Elections for fun and profit: What the ACT election cost the parties, cost you, and who made money?". Region Canberra. Archived from the original on 9 September 2025. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  14. ↑ "Register of political parties". Elections ACT. 24 July 2025. Archived from the original on 6 November 2025. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  15. ↑ "New party for Canberra". LG Focus. 10 July 2025. Archived from the original on 6 November 2025. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  16. ↑ "MASSIVE NEWS! One Nation is launching a Canberra Branch. We will contest ACT elections in the future". Facebook. Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party. 6 November 2025. Retrieved 6 November 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  17. ↑ Lindell, Jasper (27 June 2026). "'The start of something very real': Carnell behind new party". Canberra Times. Retrieved 22 July 2026.
  18. ↑ DemosAU; PremierNational. "Labor in strong position in new ACT poll". demosau.com. DemosAU. Retrieved 22 July 2026.
  19. 1 2 3 "ACT Poll July 2026" (PDF). demosau.com. DemosAU. July 2026. Retrieved 22 July 2026.
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