2023 Lachlan Shire Council (D Ward) by-election: Political participants bulletin No.1
Bulletin No.1
Issued 3 May 2023
On this page
1. Election date
The Lachlan Shire Council (D Ward) by-election will be held on Saturday, 20 May 2023.
2. Candidate information webinar
A candidate information webinar will be held at 11am on Thursday, 4 May 2023 via Microsoft Teams. There is no requirement to register your attendance for this webinar. Please use the following link to attend the webinar.
3. Registration of electoral material
All electoral material (including how-to-vote cards) to be distributed on election day must be registered with the NSW Electoral Commission. This includes any material that is handed out or left in a position to indicate it is for collection by the public. It is an offence to distribute unregistered electoral material on election day.
It is strongly recommended that you do not print electoral material for distribution on election day until its registration has been approved, should changes be required to meet legislative requirements.
Registration of electoral material closes at 5pm, Friday, 12 May 2023.
Applicants should complete the Application to register electoral material LG.212 available under Step 5 of the six steps to being a candidate on the NSW Electoral Commission website and email the completed LG.212 form and a copy of the electoral material to candidates@elections.nsw.gov.au
To assist you in preparing your electoral material please read How to vote card templates LG.245 under Step 1 of the six steps to being a candidate.
A ballot paper template is available to assist in preparing electoral material under step 5 of the six steps to being a candidate page.
The following types of electoral material do not need to be registered with us
posters or corflute's displayed on election day or pre poll voting days
any items distributed outside of election day.
Candidates and other political participants must also comply with any other laws about roads, telegraph poles, private and public property and other public spaces regulated by authorities such as local councils, the NSW Police Force, and the Australian Communications and Media Authority when distributing, displaying or broadcasting electoral material.
4. Regulated Election Period
From Monday, 10 April 2023 to 6pm on election day, Saturday, 20 May 2023, all electoral material must meet the requirements of the legislation.
Electoral material must include the name and full street address of the person authorising the material, and the name and full street address of the printer if the material is being printed.
Electoral material must not contain incorrect or misleading information about how to cast a valid vote.
For information on the legislative requirements for electoral material please refer to section 15 of the Candidate handbook, watch our Electoral material rules and Registration of electoral material videos and visit the Electoral material rules and registration information page to learn more.
5. Managing your campaign finances
There are strict rules that apply to the management, recording and disclosure of political donations and electoral expenditure. These rules are enforced by us so ensure you are aware of, and understand, your legal obligations. Some of the key obligations are explained below.
Campaign accounts
A candidate must open a campaign account before accepting $1,000 or more in political donations or incurring $1,000 or more in electoral expenditure. The campaign account must be used to pay for electoral expenditure and deposit political donations that are used to pay for that expenditure.
More information about campaign accounts.
Caps on political donations and electoral expenditure
Political donations and indirect campaign contributions are capped at NSW local government elections. Political participants must not accept a political donation that exceeds the applicable donation cap. It is also unlawful to make or accept an unlawful indirect campaign contribution.
The applicable caps for the 2022-23 financial year are available on our website.
Electoral expenditure for this by-election is capped during the capped expenditure period, which began on 27 February 2023 and ends on election day, 20 May 2023. During this period, there is a strict limit on the expenditure that can be incurred. The caps applicable to political participants for this by-election are available on our website.
More information about the rules that apply to expenditure caps.
Disclosing political donations and electoral expenditure
Registered candidates, current elected members, political parties and their associated entities, and third-party campaigners must disclose their political donations and electoral expenditure to the NSW Electoral Commission.
Political donations made and received must be disclosed every six-months. The half-yearly donation disclosure periods end 31 December and 30 June.
Electoral expenditure must be disclosed annually. The annual disclosure period ends 30 June.
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.
All candidates in this by-election must lodge:
A disclosure of political donations for the half-year ending 30 June by 11 August 2023.
A disclosure of electoral expenditure for the financial year ending 30 June by 22 September 2023.
These obligations apply even if you are not elected.
The candidate who is elected must also submit disclosures for the remainder of your term as an elected member.
Criminal penalties may apply for non-compliance.
More information about disclosure obligations.
6. Polling place and pre-poll locations, hours and projections
The locations and opening hours of pre-poll and election day polling places are available on our website for the Lachlan Shire Council (D Ward) by-election under ‘Where do I vote?’
Pre-poll commences Monday, 8 May until Friday, 19 May 2023 (excluding Saturday and Sunday).
Pre-poll and polling place projections are available on our website, under step 5 of the six steps to being a candidate.
7. Further information / candidate helpdesk
Further information for candidates including key dates can be found on the NSW Electoral Commission website for the Lachlan Shire Council (D Ward) by-election.
The Candidate handbook is available under Resources, at step 1 of the six steps to being a candidate.
The Candidate Helpdesk is available from 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday on 1300 022 011, or email candidates@elections.nsw.gov.au.
All enquiries relating to electoral material, scrutineers, party workers and counting and results can be directed to the candidate helpdesk.