Frankston's Upcoming Ballot Measures Explained: What Gets Decided and When Residents Will Feel the Results

Frankston residents face a series of ballot measures and referendum questions at the next scheduled local government election, with formal voting set to close on 24 October 2026. The measures cover proposed changes to council rating structures, a question on the future of the Frankston Foreshore Reserve precinct, and a community infrastructure levy that, if passed, would redirect funds toward the Frankston City Library redevelopment project. Each question carries a different implementation window, meaning residents will feel some results within weeks of the count and others not until mid-2027 or beyond.

The timing matters because Frankston City Council's 2026-27 draft budget, released for public comment in May, was deliberately left incomplete in three line items pending the ballot outcomes. The council noted in its budget papers that a 4.2 per cent rate variation request submitted to the Essential Services Commission cannot be finalised until residents vote on the associated rating reform question. Households in the Frankston North and Karingal wards, where median property values sit below the citywide average, have the most to gain or lose from how that question resolves, according to analysis published by the council's own finance department.

Question by Question: The Practical Timeline

The rating structure question is the fastest-moving item. If the proposed reform passes, the Essential Services Commission is expected to issue a determination within 28 days of the certified count, which council officers project will land by 28 November 2026. Revised rate notices would then issue for the second quarterly instalment due in January 2027. Residents who pay by annual lump sum received their bills in September 2026 and would see an adjustment credit or debit applied to their account in February. For a median-valued residential property in Frankston Central, the council's modelling projects a change of between $47 and $112 per year depending on the final ESC determination, though that figure remains indicative until the commission rules.

The Frankston Foreshore Reserve question is more complex and will take longer to translate into visible change. The referendum asks whether the council should begin a statutory rezoning process for 1.4 hectares of reserve land adjacent to the Nepean Highway service road. A yes vote does not rezone the land outright. It instructs the council to commence a Planning Scheme Amendment under the Planning and Environment Act, a process that typically runs 12 to 18 months and includes a further public exhibition period. Residents living within 300 metres of the reserve received direct-mail notification in June 2026 under the council's Community Engagement Policy adopted in 2024. Even if the ballot passes decisively, no physical change to the site is expected before late 2027 at the earliest.

The Infrastructure Levy and the Library Project

The community infrastructure levy question is the third item on the ballot and the one with the longest lead time before residents see results. The proposed levy, set at $68 per rateable property per year for a fixed 10-year term, would generate an estimated $9.4 million in total revenue designated for the Frankston City Library redevelopment on Davey Street. The council's 2024 Asset Management Plan rated the current library building a condition score of 2.7 out of 5, flagging it as requiring significant capital intervention within five years. If the levy passes, the council's capital works schedule shows construction could begin in the first quarter of 2029, following a design and tender process expected to run through 2027 and 2028.

Residents who want to follow each question's progress after polling closes can track the official count through the Victorian Electoral Commission's results portal, where updated tallies are published every two hours from 7 pm on 24 October. The certified count, which is the legally binding result, is due no later than 7 November 2026. After that date, the council has 14 days to pass a formal resolution acknowledging the outcome of each question, at which point the relevant administrative and statutory processes begin. Residents with questions about their enrolment or eligibility to vote on the infrastructure levy question, which is restricted to rateable property owners and occupiers on the council roll, can contact the Victorian Electoral Commission's Frankston service centre on Davey Street before the roll closes on 25 September 2026.