Registered political parties, candidates and groups and other organisations may distribute electoral material including how to vote cards during the course of an election. There are legislative requirements that govern the distribution of such material from the issue of the Writ.

Electoral material includes how to vote cards, handbills, pamphlets or notices.

From the issue of the Writ:

• All electoral material including how to vote cards must have printed at the bottom the name and address of the person who authorised the material to be printed and the name and address of the printer.
• The material must not mislead a person in the casting of their vote.

There are additional legislative requirements regarding electoral material including how to vote cards that are to be distributed on election day. Those additional requirements are:

• Only electoral material including how to vote cards registered by the Electoral Commissioner can be distributed on election day.
• Applications to register such material may be made from 12 noon on nomination day and before 5 pm on the day that is eight days before election day (the Friday in the second week before election day). The deadline is strict.
• A sample or draft of the material must be provided with the application.
• The application must specify the electoral district(s) where the material will be distributed.
• Where the material includes a representation, partial representation or purported partial representation of a ballot paper, then certain other requirements must be met. The NSWEC will discuss these matters with the applicant if the material does not satisfy these provisions. For straight forward how to vote cards these provisions will not cause any issues for securing registration.

An application to register a single how to vote card may be made by two or more registered political parties in respect to one or more districts.

Two or more registered political parties or groups may make an application to register a single how to vote card for the Legislative Council.

Candidates in the Legislative Council may indicate a voting preference for candidates and parties in the Legislative Assembly subject to certain conditions. Similarly, candidates in the Legislative Assembly may indicate a voting preference of candidates or groups in the Legislative Council subject to certain conditions.

Electoral material including how to vote cards that is not registered cannot be distributed on election day. It is an offence to do so and penalties apply.

Further information on distribution of electoral material is provided available on the State Handbooks and Forms page of this website.