2024 Mid-Western Regional council by-election

Bulletin No.4
Issued 25 November 2024

Close of registration of electoral material

Electoral material, including how-to-vote cards, distributed on election day Saturday, 7 December 2024 must be registered with the NSW Electoral Commission.

The period for registration of electoral material ends at 5pm, Friday, 29 November 2024.

Late applications for registration cannot be accepted.

Useful links:

• Electoral material information in the Candidate handbook
• Requirements for registration of electoral material and how-to-votes (PDF 0.1MB)
• Mid-Western Regional Council councillor ballot paper template (PDF 0.4MB).

Registered electoral material will be progressively published to our website under ‘View electoral material’.

Note: Posters and corflutes do not require registration.

Reporting non-compliant electoral material

Reports or concerns that electoral material is unlawful should be made in writing to the candidate helpdesk at candidates@elections.nsw.gov.au.

A report should include a clear image or copy of the electoral material. For electoral material published online, including on social media, a URL link or the name of the social media account and a screenshot should be provided. An emailed report will be acknowledged and managed in accordance with our published policies. Unless permitted by law, the NSW Electoral Commission is unable to disclose information about the outcome of specific matters reviewed. 

Concerns about electoral material displayed or distributed at pre-poll centres or polling places on election day may also be raised directly with the polling place manager.

Voting options available to electors

Pre-poll voting

Pre-poll voting is available on Saturday, 30 November 2024 and from Monday, 2 December to Friday, 6 December 2024. Pre-poll venues can be viewed on our website. Opening hours may vary for each location. 

Telephone assisted voting

Telephone assisted voting is only available to electors who are blind or have low vision. Electors can apply and vote from 9am Saturday, 30 November 2024. Telephone assisted voting applications close at 6pm Friday, 6 December 2024. Details will be available on our website.

Voting will be available until 1pm on election day Saturday, 7 December 2024. More information about telephone assisted voting for this by-election is available on our website. 

Postal voting

Postal vote applications close at 5pm on Monday, 2 December 2024.

Postal packs commenced being mailed to electors on Monday, 11 November 2024. Electors must complete their ballot papers and postal vote certificates by 6pm on election day Saturday, 7 December 2024. Completed postal votes must be received by the NSW Electoral Commission by 6pm on Friday, 20 December 2024.

Election day voting

Polling places will be open from 8am to 6pm on election day Saturday, 7 December 2024. Electors can find information about polling places on our website.

Candidate workers

Candidate (including party) workers and volunteers are allowed to:

• distribute electoral material more than six metres from the entrance of a pre-poll voting centre or polling place, subject to any directions relating to safety or order issued by election officials 
• use the toilet facilities of the pre-poll voting centre or election day polling place
• enter a pre-poll voting centre or polling place when voting is occurring to discuss safety or order issues with the polling place manager, or to collect or store electoral material (if space permits) when voting is not occurring. 

A campaign t-shirt may be worn by workers when entering a polling place for the above purposes. 

More information about candidate workers or volunteers is available in the Candidate handbook. 

Appointment of scrutineers

Scrutineers must be appointed in writing by completing an Appointment of scrutineer LG.213 form available on our website. Scrutineers must complete the declaration on that form each time they attend a scrutineering location. 

Scrutineer Policy

The LG.215 Scrutineer Policy is also available on our website. The policy describes the role of scrutineers in NSW Local Government elections and how scrutineers can comply with the law during the election, including during the counting of votes. The policy also aims to make it easier for scrutineers to examine paper ballots, electronic records, and data entry records, as well as providing information on the audit process for electronic counting.

Scrutineers may observe processes at any place where voting occurs, where declaration votes are scrutinised, or where ballot papers are counted, including at:

• all polling places and pre-poll venues
• all returning officers’ offices
• the centralised count centres and the telephone assisted voting centre.

Counting and results

Detailed information about the counting of votes and determination of results will be made available on our website, under ‘Vote count information’ including:

• an overview of the initial counts beginning on election night, the check counts after election day, and the distribution of preferences to determine the elected candidate
• postal votes and pre-poll venues to be counted on election night
• the timeline and locations of scrutiny and counting, including postal and declaration votes.

Reminder: Close of registrations for third-party campaigners

Registrations for third-party campaigners close on Monday, 2 December. An application for registration may be made to the NSW Electoral Commission by the third-party campaigner or their official agent. Registration applies for one election only.

Register as third-party campaigner and appoint an official agent using Funding and Disclosure Online. You can log in to start the process or request access to create an account. Registers of third-party campaigners and official agents are published on the NSW Electoral Commission website.

More information about registering as a third-party campaigner.