Registered political parties, candidates and others often produce, display and distribute electoral material during the course of an election. Electoral material includes how to vote cards and posters, handbills, pamphlets or notices. The Electoral Advertising brochure below explains in detail the requirements.

Electoral Advertising brochure
(PDF)[136.1kb]

Before regulated election period

Prior to the commencement of the regulated election period, the production, display and distribution of electoral material is not regulated.

During regulated election period

During the regulated election period, electoral material is not required to be registered, but there are certain legislative requirements which govern the production, display and distribution of electoral material. The regulated election period begins on the day the rolls close and concludes at 6 pm on election day.

In addition, political parties, candidates and others must comply with any other legal obligations eg complying with local government (council) requirements.

Misleading information

It is an offence to print, publish or distribute electoral material which:

• misleads electors in the proper method of casting a vote.
• uses the name, abbreviation, derivative or acronym of the name of a registered political party in a way which may mislead an elector.
• could lead electors to think the candidate was endorsed by the registered political party when this is not the case.
• uses the word ‘Independent’ and the name, abbreviation, derivative or acronym of a registered party in a way that suggests or indicates an affiliation with that registered political party.

Authorisation and printers details on electoral material

All electoral advertising material (advertisements, how to vote cards, handbills, pamphlets, posters or notices) during the regulated period, must include details of the name and full address of the person authorising the printing of the material, and the name of the printer and the full address at which it was printed.

Where candidates or registered political parties print material using their own resources they should print at the bottom of the material:

’Authorised and printed by ………………….. of……………………………’.

If electoral material is printed at a candidate’s home they must show their residential address as the printer’s details.

Posters

A poster is any electoral matter printed, drawn or depicted on any material. Candidates, registered political parties and others may use posters in support of election campaigns. During the regulated election period, posters must show the name and address of the person authorising the printing of the poster, and the name of the printer and the address at which it was printed. These requirements give authenticity to the document and allow the source or printer to be contacted, if necessary.

This provision applies whether a poster is displayed on a building, a motor vehicle, attached to a wooden stake or is in banner form. It also applies to electoral matter written, drawn, painted or otherwise depicted on any property including cars, trailers and vessels. It is an offence to write, draw, paint or depict any electoral matter directly on any roadway, footpath, building, vehicle, vessel, hoarding or place, unless they are the owner of the property or have received written permission from the owner.

Posters are not to be displayed on or in any premises owned or occupied by the Crown or by any statutory body representing the Crown or any Council. However they may be exhibited at the office or committee room of a candidate or a political party or at the electoral office of a Member of Parliament.

Posters are not to be exhibited on or in unoccupied premises unless permission has first been obtained from the owner, and it is also unlawful to attach posters to telegraph poles without the written consent of the appropriate electricity provider.

Media advertising blackout

There is no media blackout that applies to Local Government Elections.  This is because the elections media blackouts are contained in the Federal “Broadcasting Services Act” which refers to “parliaments”, not councils. This means that the media blackouts apply to Federal and State elections and not to council elections.