Register to start campaigning
Candidates and groups contesting state or local government elections must not accept political donations or make payments for electoral expenditure before being nominated for the election unless they first register with the NSW Electoral Commission.
Find out more about registering as a candidate or group of candidates by watching the video below.
On this page
How to register
The registration of a candidate or group is a separate process to the candidate or group being nominated for the election in order to have their name printed on the ballot paper.
Apply to be registered as a candidate or group using Funding and disclosure online. Registrations close on the same day as the close of nominations for an election.
Step-by-step instructions to register online can be found on the following pages:
A candidate or group is registered once the NSW Electoral Commission has processed the registration application. The candidate or group is not permitted to accept political donations or pay for electoral expenditure until registered, or until they are nominated for the election. Candidates and groups are notified of their registration in writing by the NSW Electoral Commission.
The registration periods for state general elections and local government elections starts after polling day for the previous election. For by-elections, the registration period is determined by the NSW Electoral Commission.
Registration and nomination
To have your name included on the ballot paper for the election, you must also be nominated as a candidate. Being nominated as a candidate is a separate process to being registered for the purposes of accepting political donations and making payments for electoral expenditure.
There is a strict process and deadlines that must be followed to be successfully nominated as a candidate.
Note: a registered group name will not appear on the ballot paper. Only the names of registered political parties are printed on ballot papers next to candidate names or group voting squares.
Disclosure obligations
Registration as a candidate or group will result in an a statutory obligation to submit disclosures to the NSW Electoral Commission of political donations made and received and electoral expenditure incurred.
A disclosure is the reporting of political donations and electoral expenditure to the NSW Electoral Commission. Penalties apply for non-compliance.
Financial records of a candidate’s election campaign must be kept to ensure complete and accurate disclosure.
The person responsible for submitting candidate disclosures:
- For state candidates who are members of a registered political party, the party agent of the party is responsible for making disclosures on behalf of the candidate.
- For independent state candidates or local government candidates, the candidate is responsible for making their own disclosure obligations.
The person responsible for making group disclosures:
- For state election groups, where the lead candidate is a member of the registered political party, the party agent of the party is responsible for making the disclosure.
- For state election groups, where the lead candidate is not a member of a political party or local government election groups, the lead candidate will be responsible for making group disclosures.
Important: A person may have several disclosure obligations to complete for the same period. For example, if you are a lead candidate of a group, you may be required to make a disclosure for the group as well as your individual candidate. You will have ongoing disclosure obligations if you are elected.
Disclosures can be submitted through Funding and disclosure online. By using the portal, you reduce the risk of lodging invalid or incomplete disclosures, and you will be able to see the status of your disclosure.
Political donations and electoral expenditure are strictly regulated, and it is an offence to make or accept unlawful political donations, or to exceed the caps that apply to political donations and electoral expenditure
Reporting period
Disclosures of political donations must be made every six months within four weeks of the end of a half-yearly disclosure period:
- For the disclosure period 1 July to 31 December, disclosures are due by 11 February each year.
- For the disclosure period 1 January to 30 June, disclosures are due by 11 August each year.
Disclosures of electoral expenditure must be made within 12 weeks of the end of an annual disclosure period:
- For the disclosure period 1 July to 30 June, disclosures are due by 22 September each year.
Deemed registered on nomination
Candidates and groups do not need to apply for registration for an election unless they are campaigning for an election.
Candidates and groups that do not apply to be registered are taken to be registered when they are nominated for the election.
For state general elections and by-elections, this is on the day the candidate or group validly lodges their nomination forms. For local government elections and by-elections, this is the day after close of nominations.
From the time of nomination, all candidates are permitted to accept political donations and make payments for electoral expenditure.
Register of candidates
The registered details of candidates and groups are included in a publicly available register called the Registers of candidates. A copy of the register for each election is published on the NSW Electoral Commission website.
If the registered details of a candidate or group change, the candidate or group must notify the NSW Electoral Commission of those changes within 30 days.
- Learn more about accepting and using political donations
- Learn more about making payments for electoral expenditure
Amend the register
Registered candidates and groups must notify the NSW Electoral Commission of any changes to their registered details within 30 days of the change occurring. Penalties apply for failure to notify the NSW Electoral Commission of any such change within the prescribed time frame.
Once notified, the NSW Electoral Commission will amend the registered details of the candidate or group.
Candidates and groups must notify the NSW Electoral Commission of a change in registered details using Funding and disclosure online or contact us to request a 'Change in registered details' form.
The NSW Electoral Commission may notify the registered candidate or group, in writing, if it believes the candidate or group has failed to notify of any changes to registered details.
The NSW Electoral Commission may cancel the registration of a candidate or group if not notified of changes to registered details within the required time frame.
The NSW Electoral Commission can change or remove registered details of a candidate or group if satisfied they are not correct. In such cases, the NSW Electoral Commission is required to notify the candidate or group.