Amend the register

If there are changes in the registered details of a party, an amendment must be made to the applicable register. In some cases, it is mandatory that the registered officer of a party notify the NSW Electoral Commission of a change in the party’s registered details.

Amendments initiated by a party 

Mandatory application to amend the register(s)

The registered officer of a party must apply to amend the Register of Parties or Local Government Register of Political Parties (as applicable) within 21 days of any of the following occurring:

• an amendment to the party’s written constitution

• a change of registered officer or

• a change of the party’s objectives, the procedure for amending the party’s constitution, the rules of membership, the party structure, the procedure to select and remove office bearers, and the names of the officers or members responsible for complying with electoral laws.

In the case of a change in the registered officer, if the registered officer has died or is unavailable, the deputy registered officer or secretary (if there is no deputy) must make an application for amendment as soon as possible after the decision by the party to change its registered officer.

Optional application to amend the register(s)

The registered officer of a party may apply to amend the Register of Parties or Local Government Register of Political Parties (as applicable) for any changes to the details of the party (other than those where a mandatory application for amendment is required). This includes a change in the name or address of the party.

Including a secretary and deputy registered officer

The new electoral laws (which commenced on 1 July 2018) require applications for party registration to include the name and address of the party secretary. Before the introduction of this requirement, a party was not required to formally provide details relating to its secretary.

A number of currently registered parties have not previously appointed a deputy registered officer or, alternatively, have appointed more than one deputy registered officer.

To update the register to include a secretary and/or deputy registered officer, the registered officer of the party may complete an Application to amend the party register(s) – providing optional party information form.

Amendments initiated by the NSW Electoral Commissioner

The NSW Electoral Commissioner may make amendments to the details of a registered party after requesting a party to produce a statement of the following:

• the party’s objectives

• the procedure for amending the party constitution

• the rules for membership of the party

• a description of the party structure

• the process for selecting and removing office holders or

• the names of officer or members responsible for complying the electoral laws.

Amendments during an election period

During an election period (including a by-election), the NSW Electoral Commissioner may refuse to amend the Register of parties or the local government register of political parties.

The election period for a state election is the period from the issue of the writ until election day. The election period for a local government election is the period from the close of the electoral roll for the election to election day.

Notice of proposed amendments to a register

The NSW Electoral Commissioner will publish a notice stating the proposed amendments in a newspaper and on the NSW Electoral Commission’s website unless the amendments are minor in nature. 

Amendment process