Northern Tablelands State by-election bulletin No.1

Bulletin No.1 
Issued 30 May 2024

Announcement of by-election

It is anticipated the Speaker of the NSW Legislative Assembly, the Hon. Greg Piper MP, will issue the writ on Friday, 31 May 2024 for a by-election to be held for the district of Northern Tablelands. The Speaker has announced that the by-election will be held on Saturday, 22 June 2024.

Election calendar and information

The election calendar can be found on the NSW Electoral Commission website.

Our website will be progressively updated with information about the nomination and registration processes, ballot paper draw, voting information, electoral material, scrutineering and counting and results.

Electoral funding requirements

Fact sheets that summarise the electoral funding requirements for political parties, candidates and third-party campaigners are available on our website. Political participants should become familiar with the rules that apply to political donations and electoral expenditure.

Candidates who intend to accept political donations or make payments for electoral expenditure prior to being nominated must be registered for electoral funding purposes. Applications for registration are open now and can be made online using Funding and disclosure online. Registrations for candidates close Thursday, 6 June 2024.

Nominating to become a candidate for a by-election is a separate process from the requirement to register with the NSW Electoral Commission for electoral funding purposes. Being registered for electoral funding purposes does not mean a candidate’s name will appear on a ballot paper. Validly completed nomination forms and a nomination deposit must be lodged by 12 noon on the nomination day, the day on which nominations close, to appear on the ballot paper.

Third-party campaigners must be registered prior to paying for more than $2,000 of electoral expenditure incurred in the capped expenditure period for the election (Friday, 31 May to Saturday, 22 June 2024). Register using Funding and disclosure online. Registrations for third-party campaigners close Monday, 17 June 2024. 

Nominations

Nomination forms will be available on the NSW Electoral Commission website.  

Nominations can only be lodged as follows:

• In person at the NSW Electoral Commission’s head office, 231 Elizabeth Street, Sydney by prior appointment by contacting the candidate helpdesk on 1300 022 011 or by email to candidates@elections.nsw.gov.au.
• In person at the election manager’s office 214 Beardy Street Armidale. The election manager’s office opening hours and contact details will be available on our website throughout the lodgement period.

To ensure nomination papers are received within the strict, legislated timeframes, nominations should not be lodged by post, and should not be sent to any of the post office boxes used by the NSW Electoral Commission. Online lodgement is not available for the by-election.

A registered political party or candidate is required to lodge a nomination using one of the following forms:

• Registered Political Party candidate nomination (SEBY.202); or
• Nomination of a candidate by 25 electors (SEBY.201).

Nomination forms incorporate the child protection declaration required by law.  A nomination is not valid unless it is accompanied by this child protection declaration.

Each nomination form must also be accompanied by a $250 nomination deposit in the form of cash or bank/building society cheque. Personal cheques cannot be accepted.

Nominations or nomination deposits received after 12 noon on the nomination day cannot be accepted. Corrections to nomination forms cannot be accepted after 12 noon on the nomination day, even if incomplete or inaccurate forms were lodged before that time.

Postal voting

Postal vote applications are now open.

Electors can apply online, over the phone or by downloading and printing a form available on our website. 

Any candidate or registered political party intending to distribute postal vote applications to electors must use the approved form. To request a copy of the approved form, please email candidates@elections.nsw.gov.au. It is recommended that a copy of your final artwork is provided to the NSW Electoral Commission for review to ensure that all legislative requirements have been met before going to print. 

Completed postal vote applications returned to a candidate or registered political party must be delivered to the NSW Electoral Commission as soon as possible to ensure they are processed and postal votes are distributed to electors in a timely manner. Applications must be received by the NSW Electoral Commission by 6pm on Monday, 17 June 2024. Late applications cannot be accepted.

To support the return process, we will liaise with candidates and registered political parties who submitted artwork. For more information please contact pva@elections.nsw.gov.au.

Postal vote pack distribution to electors begins from Monday, 10 June 2024. Electors must complete their ballot papers and postal vote certificates by 6pm on election day, Saturday, 22 June 2024.

Completed postal ballot papers must be received by the NSW Electoral Commission before 6pm on Friday, 5 July 2024.

Electors who are overseas and wish to apply for a postal vote are encouraged to do so as early as possible to ensure they receive their postal vote pack in a timely manner.

Read more about postal voting.

Candidate helpdesk

A helpdesk is available from 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday on 1300 022 011, and from 7am to 6pm on election day, for candidates, registered political parties and other political participants.

All enquiries relating to the nomination and registration process, the ballot paper draw, electoral material, scrutineers, candidate workers and counting and results should be directed to the candidate helpdesk by email to candidates@elections.nsw.gov.au.

Email enquiries about candidate and third-party campaigner electoral funding registrations and the rules that apply to political donations and electoral expenditure can be directed to fdc@elections.nsw.gov.au.

All other email enquiries by political parties, candidates and other political participants should be sent using our Contact us form.