Registration of candidates and groups

What is registration?

Registration means being registered under the Electoral Funding Act to be regulated as a candidate or group by the NSW Electoral Commission for a state or local government election and having your registered details included on a public register. The NSW Electoral Commission publishes all registers on the Public registers and lists page.

A candidate, or group of candidates, must be registered with the NSW Electoral Commission for an election before accepting political donations or making payments for electoral expenditure for an election.

Candidates and groups registering for the 2023 NSW State election

Candidates, and groups of candidates, are responsible for their own registration. To register for the 2023 NSW State election the candidate or group members must complete and lodge the relevant application for registration. Candidates and groups can register using Funding and disclosure online, the NSW Electoral Commission’s online system for political participants to comply with NSW electoral funding laws.

Current members of the NSW Parliament are not required to be registered for the election before accepting political donations or making payments for electoral expenditure.

The deadline for submitting an application for registration is the day of the close of nominations.

All candidates who will not accept political donations or make payments for electoral expenditure before being nominated are taken to be registered on the day their nomination form is lodged. From this time, all candidates and groups can lawfully accept political donations and make payments for electorate expenditure for the election.

Registration of a Legislative Council group of candidates

The registration of a group of candidates is separate to the registration of the candidates who are members of the group.

Applications to register a group for the Legislative Council election may be made using Funding and disclosure online. The lead candidate of the group must make the application to register as a candidate and to register the group. Members of the group must apply to be registered as a candidate before they can be added to the group by the lead candidate. Follow the instructions in Funding and Disclosure Online on how to register as a group of candidates. Applications for registration may be submitted at any time up to the deadline, which is the day of the close of nominations.

A group of candidates, and the candidates who are members of that group, are registered once the NSW Electoral Commission has received and processed a validly lodged registration. It is unlawful for the group to accept political donations or pay for electoral expenditure until registered, or until after 12 noon on nomination day.

Registration of a candidate for the Legislative Assembly or Legislative Council

Applications to register as a candidate for the Legislative Assembly or Legislative Council elections may be made through Funding and disclosure online. Follow the instructions for Funding and Disclosure Online on how to register as a candidate to start campaigning. Applications for registration may be submitted at any time up to the deadline, which is the day of the close of nominations.

A candidate is registered once the NSW Electoral Commission has received and processed a validly lodged registration. It is unlawful for the candidate to accept political donations or pay for electoral expenditure until registered, or until they are nominated for the election.

Register of Candidates

The details of all registered candidates and groups, which excludes the residential address of all candidates, are included on the Register of Candidates. A copy of the register, including the residential address of each candidate, except those who are silent electors, is available for inspection by appointment at our office. If a candidate becomes a silent elector at any time after registration the candidate should notify the NSW Electoral Commission to ensure the enrolled address provided at the time of registration is not shared.

Refusal to register a candidate or group

The NSW Electoral Commission may refuse to register a candidate or group of candidates if:

information provided in an application for registration is incomplete or incorrect, or
the name of the group is obscene or offensive.

Updating candidate or group registered details

Candidates and groups must notify the NSW Electoral Commission of any changes to the details included on the register within 30 days of the change occurring. If a candidate becomes a silent elector at any time after registration, the candidate should notify the NSW Electoral Commission.

To update details with the NSW Electoral Commission use Funding and Disclosure Online following the instructions on updating your registered details. The NSW Electoral Commission will make changes to registered details of a candidate or group upon receipt of the form.

Cancellation of a candidate or group’s registration

The NSW Electoral Commission will cancel the registration of a candidate or group if requested by the candidate or group.

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