Candidate nominations for local government elections

Being nominated as a candidate or group of candidates for a local government election is a separate process to registering to accept political donations or making payments for electoral expenditure.

Learn more about becoming a candidate for the 2024 Local Government elections.

Candidates and groups – Registration v nomination

In New South Wales, when an individual or group of individuals want to run in a state or local government election, there are two different processes to follow.

To lawfully accept political donations and make payments for electoral expenditure for the purposes of campaigning, candidates and groups must be registered for the election.

To have their name appear on the ballot paper, candidates and groups must be nominated for the election.

Registration and nomination are two separate processes, and the NSW Electoral Commission is responsible for administering both.

Applications for registration must be made during the registration period for the election, which ends on the same day as the close of nominations. Funding and Disclosure Online is the Electoral Commission’s online portal for candidate and group registrations. Only once registered can candidates and groups lawfully accept political donations and make payments for electoral expenditure.

Candidates and groups who do not accept donations or make payments for expenditure do not need to be registered prior to being nominated.

Whether registered or not, all candidates and groups must be nominated to have their name included on the ballot paper by lodging a nomination form and nomination deposit during the nomination period for the election. Late nominations cannot be accepted.

After nomination is confirmed, all candidates and groups can lawfully accept donations and make payments for expenditure for their election campaign.

Candidates and groups ought to familiarise themselves with each of these processes by visiting elections dot nsw dot gov dot au.

Conditions

To be nominated as a candidate for a local government election, a candidate must be endorsed by a registered political party or at least two electors. The following conditions apply.

Nomination by a registered political party

The registered officer or deputy registered officer for a political party in the Local Government Register of Political Parties can nominate a candidate for mayor or councillor. The political party must have been registered with the NSW Electoral Commission for 12 months prior to the close of rolls date for the election.

Nomination by electors

A person can be nominated by electors in the following manner:

mayor – by at least two electors enrolled in the council area the candidate is contesting
councillor – where the council area is undivided (no wards) by at least two electors enrolled in the council area the candidate is contesting, or
councillor – where there are wards, by at least two electors enrolled in the ward the candidate is contesting.

Election process

Candidates should also follow the six step process below to successfully navigate the election process.

Step 1: Familiarise yourself with the election processes and your legal obligations.

Step 2: Register as a candidate.

Step 3: Manage your campaign finances throughout the entire election period.

Step 4: Nominate as a candidate.

Step 5: Register electoral material (how to votes) to distribute on election day.

Step 6: Disclose political donations and electoral expenditure to the NSW Electoral Commission.

Eligibility and disqualification

Learn general advice about eligibility and disqualification for local government election candidates.

This information is not legal advice. It is important to note that the Electoral Commission cannot confirm whether you, or other prospective candidates, are eligible to nominate for an election or are potentially disqualified.

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