Information for candidates of the 2024 NSW State by-elections
Epping, Hornsby and Pittwater
Learn about becoming a candidate, including understanding essential information and your legal obligations, the registration process to initiate campaigning, managing campaign finances, navigating the nominations process, and creating electoral material.
 Information and obligations |
 Register to start campaigning |
 Campaign finances
|
 Nominations |
 Electoral material (how to vote) |
Information and obligations
There are strict laws and deadlines that must be followed to become a candidate, relating to:
- being nominated as a candidate
- registering for the election so you can start campaigning
- producing and distributing electoral material
- accepting political donations and incurring electoral expenditure.
Check |
Sections |
|---|---|
I have checked the key dates for the election |
2024 Epping State by-election key dates 2024 Hornsby State by-election key dates 2024 Pittwater State by-election key dates |
I have registered to accept political donations and incur electoral expenditure and I know the difference between registering and nominating |
|
I know who is responsible for managing the disclosure of my donations and expenditure |
|
I have a campaign account for receiving donations and paying for expenditure |
Campaign accounts and record keeping |
| I understand the caps that apply to my campaign expenditure and accepting political donations | |
I know how to lodge my nomination forms and deposit by the deadline |
|
I have properly authorised my electoral material and how-to-vote cards |
|
I know the requirements to register my electoral material and how-to-vote cards to distribute on election day |
|
I know the rules about where and how electoral material and how-to-vote cards can be distributed |
|
I have familiarised myself with the role of scrutineers and know how to appoint a scrutineer |
|
I have familiarised myself with election and electoral funding offences |
Candidate information webinar
We conducted a webinar for candidates and other political participants.
| Webinar topic | Time / date (s) | Registration link | Recording |
|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate information | 11am Wednesday, 25 September 2024 |
View |
Other resources available to candidates
Election calendar:
Support
Contact us by email.
Phone us during business hours on 1300 022 011.
Register to start campaigning
A candidate must first be registered for the election before accepting political donations or making payments for electoral expenditure. Registrations are now open and close at 12 noon on Thursday, 3 October 2024.
You can register using Funding and disclosure online.
Note: Registering for an election does not mean you are nominated for the election.
See Registration of candidates.
Campaign finances
The party agent is responsible for managing the political donations and electoral expenditure of candidates who are members of a political party registered for state elections. Candidates who are not members of a registered state party are personally responsible for the management of their political donations and electoral expenditure for their candidacy.
Political donations are capped in New South Wales. The current caps are:
• $7,900 to or for the benefit of a registered political party, and
• $3,800 to or for the benefit of an unregistered party, candidate, elected member, associated entity or third-party campaigner.
There are caps on electoral expenditure incurred between 27 September 2024 and election day, 19 October 2024. This means a candidate can only incur a certain amount of electoral during the capped expenditure period.
See Political donations, Electoral expenditure and Campaign accounts and record keeping.
Nomination for the by-election
You must be nominated to have your name included on a ballot paper.
To be nominated as a candidate you must be enrolled to vote in New South Wales by 6pm Friday, 27 September 2024.
Lodgments of nominations commence Friday, 27 September 2024 and close at 12 noon Thursday, 3 October 2024. Late nominations cannot be accepted.
You may be nominated by either:
- a registered political party, or
- 25 electors.
If nominated by 25 electors, those electors must be enrolled in the district for which the candidates is being nominated by 6pm Friday, 27 September 2024.
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.
Nomination forms and deposit can only be lodged:
- in person at the elections managers office.
- in person at the NSW Electoral Commission's head office, 231 Elizabeth Street, Sydney by prior appointment by contacting the candidate help desk on 1300 022 011 or by email to candidates@elections.nsw.gov.au.
See Nomination as a candidate – general information and Nomination as a candidate: Legislative Assembly.
Electoral material (how to vote)
During the regulated election period Friday, 27 September 2024 to 6pm on election day, Saturday, 19 October 2024, all electoral material must meet legal requirements in relation to content, type, placement and distribution.
All electoral material that is to be distributed on election day must be registered. This includes any material that is handed out or left in a position to indicate it is for collection by the public. Registration of electoral material commences Thursday 3 October 2024 and closes at 5pm on Friday, 11 October 2024. Late application cannot be accepted.
See Authorisation of electoral material and Registration of electoral material.
Ballot paper templates
Ballot paper templates have been provided to assist in the preparation of electoral material (how-to-vote material) for distribution.
When including a sample of the ballot paper on electoral material the details must be an accurate representation of the ballot paper, including:
- the candidates and/or groups appear in the correct order
- the spelling of candidate’s names is accurate
- registered political party names and the inclusion/exclusion of the word 'Independent' are accurate
- the instructions for casting a formal vote are accurate
- partial representations of the ballot paper may be acceptable on your electoral material.
View ballot paper templates:
- Epping Councillor ballot paper (PDF 0.4MB)
- Hornsby Councillor ballot paper (PDF 0.4MB)
- Pittwater Councillor ballot paper (PDF 0.4MB)
Venue projections
Locations and projections for voting centres, early voting centres and declared facilities can be accessed via each of the links below. These locations are current as at Thursday, 3 October 2024. Listings will be updated as additional venues are identified.