2024 NSW Aboriginal Land Council elections: Candidates bulletin No.2

Bulletin No.2  
Issued 7 March 2024

1. Election results

Count of postal votes

The extraction of ballot papers from accepted postal vote certificate envelopes will commence at 11am, Friday 8 March. This will be followed by the Initial Count and Check Count of those ballot papers.

Any additional postal votes received after 11am and by the close of receipt of postal votes at 6pm, Friday 8 March, will undergo scrutiny shortly after 6pm. After the scrutiny, all accepted ballot papers will be included in the count.

The results will be published on the NSW Electoral Commission website.

Distribution of preferences

The distribution of preferences (DoP) for each Region will be conducted at the Regional Electoral Officer’s office from 10am, Monday, 11 March 2024. The office is located at Level 23, 175 Liverpool Street, Sydney NSW 2000.

The DoP report for each Region will be published on the NSW Electoral Commission website shortly after the DoP is completed for the Region. Candidates will be advised via email when the DoP is completed. 

2. Appointment of scrutineers

Candidates are entitled to have a scrutineer present at the Regional Electoral Officer’s office when postal votes and ballot papers are scrutinised and counted.

A scrutineer must be appointed in writing using the Appointment of scrutineer form ALC.213. Scrutineers are required to present a completed Appointment of scrutineer form each day at each location they attend.

For more information, refer to the Candidate and scrutineer guide ALC.200. 

3. Recounts

A candidate may request a recount of the ballot-papers. Any request for a recount must:

• be in writing, and signed by the candidate; and
• set out the reasons for the request; and
• be lodged with the Returning Officer, in person or by email, within 24 hours of the Distribution of Preferences Report for the Region being published on the website; and
• a copy of the written request for a recount must be lodged with the Regional Electoral Officer, in person or by email, at the same time as the original is lodged with the Returning Officer. 

Under the legislation you are entitled to lodge a request for a recount by fax (02) 9290 5991 for both the Returning Officer and Regional Electoral Officer. However, our preference is to receive requests by email.

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 Returning Officer will consider the request and will determine whether a recount is to be conducted.

If a recount is subsequently approved by the Returning Officer, the declaration of the results will be delayed until the completion of the recount.

A candidate is not required to cover the cost of the recount.

The best way to lodge a recount request is by email to:

• the Returning Officer at candidates@elections.nsw.gov.au, and
• the Regional Electoral Officer at rososupport@elections.nsw.gov.au

4. Declaration of results

Unless a recount request is under consideration or a recount is to be conducted, the Regional Electoral Officer will sign the Declaration of Results as soon as practical after the recount deadline, that is, 24 hours after the Distribution of Preferences Report for the Region was published on the website.

A notice of the elected candidate in each Region will be published on the NSW Electoral Commission website.

5. Further information/candidate helpdesk

Further information regarding the election including key dates can be found on the NSW Electoral Commission website or by contacting the Candidate Helpdesk on 1300 022 011 or candidates@elections.nsw.gov.au