Party and candidate workers

Candidate and party workers act on behalf of candidates and/or political parties to distribute electoral material (such as how-to-vote cards) at pre-poll voting locations prior to election day and polling places on election day. They are not required to complete any appointment form to engage in these tasks unless they also wish to act as a scrutineer.

Party and candidate workers at pre-poll voting centres

Party and candidate workers must not distribute electoral material, including how-to-vote cards, or display posters within 6 metres of the pre-poll voting centre. Material cannot be handed out inside the voting area.

Unlike election day, electoral material, including how-to-vote cards, distributed outside pre-poll voting centres are not required to be registered with the NSW Electoral Commission. It must however comply with electoral legislation.

Electors must be given unrestricted access to and from the entry to the pre-poll voting location. Party and candidate workers must not obstruct the entrance to a pre-poll voting centre.

Party and candidate workers may only enter the pre-poll voting centre to cast their vote, or where nominated, to assist an elector to cast their vote.

Party and candidate workers at polling places

Party and candidate workers outside a polling place on election day must not obstruct access to the polling place.

Party and candidate workers must not distribute electoral material, including how-to-vote cards, or display posters within 6 metres of the entrance to the polling place. Material cannot be handed out inside the voting area.

Electoral material, including how-to-vote cards, distributed anywhere on election day must be registered with the NSW Electoral Commission. It is an offence to distribute unregistered election material on election day.

Party and candidate workers may only enter the polling place to vote, or to assist an elector who has requested their assistance, to cast their vote.

Recycling of how-to-vote material

Candidates/party workers are not allowed to enter the polling place and access how-to-vote material which has been placed in the polling place bin. Similarly, polling place staff are not to go through polling place bins on behalf of candidates/party workers in an attempt to recycle how-to-vote material.

The rubbish bin may contain sharp objects or may contain ballot papers which electors have inadvertently placed in the bin.

Candidate/party workers should be advised that they may request electors to hand the how-to-vote material back to them as the elector exits the polling place.