The ACT’s Electoral Commissioner, Phillip Green, has announced his intention to retire, after 23 years as the ACT’s top electoral official.

Mr Green, who is currently on leave, will officially resign as Commissioner in August 2017.

Mr Green was appointed as the ACT’s first full-time Electoral Commissioner in May 1994.  He was responsible for the conduct of 7 general elections for the ACT Legislative Assembly from 1995 to 2016.

During his tenure as Electoral Commissioner, Mr Green pioneered a range of electoral innovations in the ACT, including electronic voting and counting, scanning of ballot papers and networked electoral rolls in polling places.

A recruitment process to select a new Electoral Commissioner will commence in the near future.  Mr Green’s replacement will be appointed by the ACT Speaker, Ms Joy Burch MLA, following a merit selection process and consultation with the relevant ACT Legislative Assembly Committee and with the leaders of the political parties represented in the Assembly.

The current Deputy Electoral Commissioner for the ACT, Rohan Spence, will act as the Electoral Commissioner pending the appointment of a new Commissioner.