This page explains the rules once advance voting starts, and on election day.
These rules apply to everyone, so it is important to know what you can and can’t do in and around advance voting places and on election day.
Advance voting rules
Campaigning and advertising about parties and candidates is allowed during advance voting.
However, you’re not allowed to campaign, or do anything which obstructs or influences voters, inside advance voting places or within 10 metres of their entrances.
An advance voting place is the area set aside for voting, not necessarily the whole building complex.
Inside advance voting places or within 10 metres of the entrance
The following rules apply while you’re inside an advance voting place, or within 10 metres of the entrance, during voting hours.
You can’t influence voters
Don’t influence voters or tell them to vote or not vote for a candidate or party.
You can’t display or distribute campaign material
Don’t display, wear or distribute campaign material — though you can wear a lapel badge or rosette (see below).
You can’t take part in demonstrations
Don’t take part in demonstrations or processions related to the election. This includes using a megaphone.
You can’t film or take photos
Don’t film or take photos of voting papers or of people as they vote, or in a way that disrupts voting. Candidates or promoters can be filmed voting if they have arranged it earlier with the Returning Officer.
You can wear a lapel badge or rosette
You may wear a party lapel badge or rosette. These can feature party colours, a party name and branding, but not a candidate name. Any lapel badge or rosette you wear must include a promoter statement.
You can wear party colours
You may display party colours, such as streamers, but only on people or vehicles.
Anywhere during the advance voting period
The following rules apply everywhere during the advance voting period.
- You can’t poll voters about how they voted.
- You may contact voters offering help to get to a voting place.
- You may campaign elsewhere, outside the buffer zone.
- You are also free to express political views online.
Election day rules
You’re not allowed to campaign, or do anything which obstructs or influences voters, anywhere on election day.
You can’t display or distribute campaign material
Don’t display, deliver, wear or distribute campaign material — though you can wear a lapel badge or rosette (see below).
Don’t publish any election advertising. Be careful about hand-delivering election material on the day before election day as voters who don’t check their mail until the next day may think it arrived on election day and complain.
You can’t keep signs or hoardings up
Take down election signs and hoardings before election day. Keep vehicles with signs, bumper stickers, or flags with party or candidate material out of public view on election day. Parties and MPs can leave fixed signs up on their offices and headquarters if they were up before election day and not related to the election campaign.
You can’t influence voters
Don’t influence voters or tell them to vote or not vote for a candidate or party.
This rule applies to websites and social media
Don’t post anything to social media or a website on election day that could influence voters. Also make sure your profile pictures on social media don’t include anything that could influence voters.
You may only keep existing election material up on a website or social media if all the following apply.
- You don’t update it on election day
- It’s only available to people who choose to access it
- The site isn’t advertised
You can’t take part in demonstrations
Don’t take part in demonstrations or processions related to the election. This includes using a megaphone.
You can’t run polls
Don’t poll voters about how they voted, or anything else to do with the election.
You can’t film or take photos in voting places
Don’t film or take photos of voting papers or of people as they vote, or in a way that disrupts voting. Candidates or promoters can be filmed voting if they have arranged it earlier with the returning officer.
You can wear a lapel badge or rosette
You may wear a party lapel badge or rosette. These can feature party colours, a party name and branding, but not a candidate name. Any lapel badge or rosette you wear must include a promoter statement.
You can wear party colours
You may display party colours, such as streamers, but only on people or vehicles.
You can remind people to vote, or offer help to get a voting place
You can contact people to offer help to get to a voting place or remind them it’s election day. You must not influence how they vote. If you’re going to call voters, you can check your ‘script’ with us.
Tell us if someone’s breaking the rules
We don’t actively monitor conduct on election day, or buffer zones during advance voting, but we’ll respond to complaints. Contact us if you believe someone is breaking the advance voting or election day rules. We can remove material if we find it breaks the rules.