Due to the council amalgamation process only 81 NSW councils are having elections. Remaining councils,  such as recently amalgamated MidCoast Council, have had their elections deferred until September 2017.

This situation has the potential to cause confusion among some electors, particularly those who live, or are enrolled, in areas not conducting elections, bordering councils that are. Electors may turn up to a pre-poll voting centre or at a polling place on election day only to be told they don’t need to vote. Apart from the understandable frustration this may cause it also diverts polling place resources from those electors who do need to vote. Alternately, some electors may incorrectly assume they do not need to vote.

As voting is compulsory in areas where elections are being held this will result a penalty notice for not voting.