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.

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. They are expected to be challenged by the Liberal Party, the Greens, several other minor parties and independents.

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. The party was subsequently voluntarily deregistered on 10 July 2025.

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. 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.

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 and her other portfolios were distributed in a reshuffle that saw Caitlin Tough elevated to the cabinet.

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

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:

Brindabella – contains the district of Tuggeranong Ginninderra – contains the district of Belconnen (except the suburbs of Giralang and Kaleen) Kurrajong – contains the districts of Canberra Central (excluding Deakin, Forrest, Red Hill, and Yarralumla), Jerrabomberra, Kowen and Majura Murrumbidgee – contains the districts of the Woden Valley, Weston Creek, Molonglo Valley, and the South Canberra suburbs of Deakin, Forrest, Red Hill, and Yarralumla Yerrabi – contains the districts of Gungahlin, Hall and the Belconnen suburbs of Giralang and Kaleen

Political parties

, 13 political parties are registered with Elections ACT. Additionally, One Nation has stated their intentions to contest the 2028 election. 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.

Animal Justice Party Australian Labor Party (ACT Branch) Australian Multicultural Party Belco Party (ACT) Canberra Progressives Democratic Labour Party (DLP) Family First Party (ACT) Fiona Carrick Independent Liberal Party of Australia (A.C.T. Division) Libertarian Party Sustainable Australia Party The ACT Greens The Community Action Party Canberra Socialists

Opinion polling Voting intention

Date Polling firm Client Interviewmode Samplesize Primary vote ALP LIB GRN ONP IND Others 2–16 Jul 2026 DemosAU/Premier National Online 979 32% 21% 11% 14% 19% 3% Election 34.1% 33.5% 12.2% — 13% 7%

Preferred Chief Minister

Date Polling firm Client Samplesize Party leaders Lead Barr Parton Unsure DemosAU/Premier National 979 46% 32% 22% 14

Approval polling Party leaders

Date Polling firm Client Samplesize Barr Parton Clay Carrick Pos. Neg. Net Pos. Neg. Net Pos. Neg. Net Pos. Neg. NetDemosAU/Premier National979 33% 38% -5 26% 26% 0 20% 29% -9 12% 12% 0

Other MLAs

Date Polling firm Client Samplesize Berry Emerson Castley Pos. Neg. Net Pos. Neg. Net Pos. Neg. NetDemosAU/Premier National 979 22% 31% -9 14% 12% +2 10% 21% -11

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