2022 NSW Local government elections: Political participants bulletin No.5
Bulletin No. 5 Issued 10 August 2022
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1. Election results
Final counts of postal votes
The receipt of postal votes closes at 6pm Friday 12 August. At 11am Friday 12 August, the Initial Count of Progressive Count 3 will commence. Any other postal votes received after 11am and by the close of receipt of postal votes will undergo scrutiny shortly after 6pm. After the scrutiny, all accepted ballot papers will be included in the Initial Count and the results published on our website. The Check Count of these ballot papers will follow as soon as possible.
Distribution of Preferences
The Distribution of Preferences (DoP) will be conducted at each Returning Officer’s office using the NSW Electoral Commission’s computer count system at 10am, Monday, 15 August 2022. The DoP will only take few minutes to complete.
The Returning Officer’s address can be found below:
| Council | Returning Officer’s office address | Returning Officer’s email |
|---|---|---|
| Kempsey Shire Council | Unit 2, 80-82 Smith Street, Kempsey NSW 2440 | kempsey@ro.elections.nsw.gov.au |
| Shellharbour City Council - Ward A | 108A Tongarra Road, Albion Park NSW 2527 (access via Halket Lane) | shellharbour@ro.elections.nsw.gov.au |
| Singleton Council | 13 Campbell St, Singleton NSW 2330 | singleton@ro.elections.nsw.gov.au |
The final count reports will be published on the NSW Electoral Commission’s results website shortly after the DoP completing.
Candidates will be advised via email when the results are available to be viewed on the NSW Electoral Commission’s website.
Recounts
Any request for a recount must:
- be in writing; and
- be signed by the candidate; and
- set out the reasons for the request; and
- be lodged with the Returning Officer within 24 hours of the results being published on the NSW Electoral Commission’s website.
The reasons for the request should identify the specific error or other irregularity about the counting process that it is alleged could potentially impact the results of the election.
The best way to lodge a recount request is by email to:
- the NSW Electoral Commission at candidates@elections.nsw.gov.au, and
- the Returning Officer (the email address can be found above).
Candidates are not required to pay the cost of the recount, if conducted.
The Electoral Commissioner will consider the request, including the reasons provided, and will determine whether and, if so how, any recount is to be conducted by the Returning Officer. For example, depending on the circumstances of the recount, the Commissioner may determine that all or only some of the ballot papers are to be recounted.
Declaration of Results
Unless a recount request is under consideration or a recount is to be conducted, the Returning Officer will sign the Declaration of Results as soon as practical after the recount deadline and forward a copy to the council’s General Manager who will make it available for public display. Where a recount has been requested prior to the deadline, the Declaration of Results will be delayed until that request is finally determined, including until after the completion of any recount to be undertaken by the Returning Officer.
Enquiries
Enquiries should be directed to the candidate helpdesk on 1300 022 011 or candidates@elections.nsw.gov.au.
2. Disclosure obligations after the elections
Registered candidates and groups, councillors and mayors, political parties and their associated entities, and third-party campaigners must disclose their political donations and electoral expenditure to the NSW Electoral Commission.
Disclosures must be lodged even if no political donations were made or received during the half-yearly period and/or no electoral expenditure was incurred during the annual period.
Candidate and group disclosure obligations continue until September 2023. These obligations apply even if you are not elected. If you are elected, you must also submit disclosures for the remainder of your term as an elected member. Failing to disclose when required is an offence.
Political donation disclosures for the half-yearly period 1 January to 30 June 2022 were due by Thursday, 28 July 2022. If you have not yet submitted your political donation disclosures, you must do so without further delay.
Electoral expenditure disclosures for the annual period 1 July 2021 to 30 June 2022 are due by Thursday, 22 September 2022.
Disclose online using Funding and Disclosure Online, the NSW Electoral Commission’s online portal for political participants. Log in to your account, or request access today if you don’t yet have it.
More information about disclosing political donations and electoral expenditure.
3. Campaign accounts
If you used a campaign account for the elections, there are things you need to do to comply with NSW electoral funding campaign account laws.
The following information applies to you if you used a campaign account, whether or not:
- you were elected,
- you were part of a group of candidates, or
- you were endorsed by a political party.
The following information does not apply to a political party’s local government campaign account.
If you used a campaign account to deposit political donations and/or pay for electoral expenditure:
- Ensure payments for electoral expenditure have been made,
- If there are funds remaining in the campaign account, and you paid your own money into the account, you may reimburse yourself up to the amount you paid into the account,
- If there are still funds remaining in the account, disperse the funds according to the instructions below, and
- Obtain bank statements for the account.
Funds remaining in a campaign account must be dispersed as follows:
- A candidate or elected member’s campaign account – remaining funds are to be paid to the political party of which you are a member, or
- A group of candidates’ campaign account – remaining funds are to be paid to the campaign accounts of the members of the group, divided equally, or
- If the above does not apply, remaining funds are to be paid to your nominated charity.
After the funds have been dispersed from the campaign account and bank statements have been obtained, the account should be closed if no longer required.