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Use our helpful online tool to find your federal, Legislative Assembly or local government electorate.
Before you share or engage with election related content, check the facts.
False information about elections can lead to mistrust in democratic processes.
You can fact-check information about electoral processes by viewing the NT Electoral Commission’s (NTEC's) misinformation and disinformation register (the register).
The register provides factual information in response to prominent false statements about electoral processes, along with any actions taken by the Commission.
For information on the NTECs processes for managing the register during and after electoral events within the NT view the register guidelines.
Please note: The NTEC has no role in enforcing truth in political advertising in the NT. It is the responsibility of Territorians to assess the truth of statements that are made by political parties and candidates before they cast their vote at an election.
What is misinformation and disinformation?
Misinformation is false information shared without harmful intent, often due to misunderstanding or error.
Disinformation, on the other hand, is deliberately false information spread with the intention to deceive or manipulate.
Report false or misleading information
Contact us if you see false or misleading information about electoral processes.
The register
Candidates do not choose how their preferences are distributed.
Voters themselves determine the order of their preferences when they fill out their ballots. How-to-vote cards are merely suggestions and do not dictate the final order of preferences, which is entirely up to the individual voter.
The preferential voting system is designed to ensure that the elected candidate has the broadest possible support. If no candidate receives a majority of first preference votes, the preferences indicated by voters on their ballots are then counted until a candidate achieves a majority. This system ensures that the final result more accurately reflects the overall choice of the electorate.
Source: Facebook
Date detected: 5 August 2024
NT Electoral Commission’s action: The NT Electoral Commission provided the correct information on its Facebook page and website.
NT voters choose who they want to represent them as Members of Parliament by electing them.
The Electoral Commissioner is an independent statutory officer, appointed to run the election in a fair and transparent way.
The integrity of the election processes in the NT is protected in a number of ways, including:
- NT Electoral Commission employees must maintain strict political neutrality requirements
- scrutineers may be appointed by candidates and parties and are entitled to observe voting and counting processes
- all ballot boxes are sealed with numbered seals. The numbers are recorded, and these are checked in the presence of scrutineers at the start of counting on election night. Only authorised election officials have access to secure areas where ballot boxes are stored
- maintaining this register to rebut misleading information about the electoral process in the NT.
Source: Known common topic
Date detected: Ongoing
NT Electoral Commission’s action: The NT Electoral Commission provided the correct information on its website.
Enrolment for NT Legislative Assembly and local government elections is managed through a longstanding Commonwealth/State joint roll arrangement with the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC).
The AEC impartially performs electoral roll management, processing millions of enrolment transactions yearly. The AEC receives data from a range government departments/agencies and may include an individual's surname, given name(s), date of birth, and address, to keep the roll updated. Information is examined and matched against the electoral roll to identify people who may need an enrolment action to be taken.
Maintaining the accuracy and scope of the roll ensures as many Australians as possible can perform their legal obligation to vote. Enrolment and voting is compulsory in the NT. The roll may be inspected in the NT in certain circumstances to support transparency.
Voting more than once in elections is against the law. After each election, the NT Electoral Commission undertakes a process to review and identify anyone who has been marked off the electoral roll more than once. It will then make further inquiries and take any further necessary steps, such as making declarations requiring special voting arrangements for some electors.
Source: Known common topic
Date detected: Ongoing
NT Electoral Commission’s action: The NT Electoral Commission provided the correct information on its website.
Pencils are supplied at elections run by the NT Electoral Commission. Electors are also encouraged to bring their own pen if they prefer.
If you vote with a pencil, your vote is not erased. During voting, election officials do not have access to completed ballot papers. Ballot papers are stored in boxes that have seals, with seal numbers recorded and these are checked in the presence of scrutineers at the start of counting on election night. The ballot boxes are opened after 6pm, and the ballot papers sorted and counted, under the observation of scrutineers, where present, to verify that the election is carried out in a proper manner.
Scrutineers are present to observe voting and counting. They play a crucial role in ensuring the integrity of voting and counting processes.
Source: Facebook
Date detected: 5 August 2024
NT Electoral Commission’s action: The NT Electoral Commission provided the correct information on its website.
Scrutineers play an important accountability and transparency role in the election process. They represent candidates or parties, and advise them on the procedures being followed by the NT Electoral Commission, the election manager and election officials. Their role is to satisfy candidates and registered political parties that the election process is carried out fairly, impartially and with integrity.
Every candidate is free to appoint a scrutineer to observe counting and voting processes.
Source: Known common topic
Date detected: Ongoing
NT Electoral Commission’s action: The NT Electoral Commission provided the correct information on its website.
This relocation of boxes is permitted and there are processes in place to ensure there is a robust audit trail of the ballot box movements:
- all ballot boxes are sealed and those seal numbers are recorded by election officials
- when the ballot boxes are collected their security seal is recorded by the early voting centre and the election official doing the collection
- the number is also recorded by Voting Centre Manager on receipt, and the Voting Centre Manager signs for the ballot box
- the Voting Centre Manager then stores the ballot boxes from the early voting centre in a secure zone until they are required for sorting and counting
- the ballot boxes are not moved from the secure area until after voting stops at 6pm on election night.
Source: Known common topic
Date detected: Ongoing
NT Electoral Commission’s action: The NT Electoral Commission provided the correct information on its website.
The NT Electoral Commission have procedures in place to check a voter is entitled to vote and to ensure their vote cannot be identified. One important protection is that when an election official is extracting the ballot paper from the postal envelope it is done so the elector details are not visible. Envelopes where the postal vote certificate is not properly signed and witnessed are rejected, not opened and the ballot papers inside are never seen.
Source: Known common topic
Date detected: Ongoing
NT Electoral Commission’s action: The NT Electoral Commission provided the correct information on its website.
Stop and consider
Stop and consider before you share something you read or see online.
You can do this by considering the below questions:
- Is it from a reliable or recognisable source?
- Do you know the source of the information?
- Has it come from an accredited media outlet or verified social media account?
- Electoral laws do not regulate the content of political advertising.
- When was it published?
- Just because a post or article was shared today, that doesn't mean it is current.
- Always check the original source and publication date.
- Could it be a scam?
- If you are suspicious of the source or content of information being communicated on social media or other digital platforms, it is important to think carefully before engaging.
- Where possible you should check the contact details of the source of the information.
For more information: