Information for candidates

We are an independent agency responsible for the conduct of local government and Legislative Assembly elections.

We manage all aspects of the election process including the nomination process, declaration of candidates, communications, counts, declaration of results and financial disclosure.

The NT Local Government election timetable is determined by the Local Government Act 2019 and Local Government (Electoral) Regulations 2021, which specifies important dates such as:

• Notice inviting nominations
• Close of electoral roll
• Close of nomination
• Election day

To review a timetable for an election go to the current elections webpage.

You can nominate as a local government election candidate if you are:

• an Australian citizen
• 18 years of age or older
• enrolled to vote in the local government area
• a resident within the local council area.

The grounds for disqualification include:

• bankruptcy
• holding a judicial office
• employed as a local council staff member (note Section 181, LGA (NT), resignation to contest election – staff members )
• having a debt owing to council
• disqualified from managing a corporation
• not having a principal place of residence within the council area

The complete list of grounds for disqualification are shown on the nomination form (PDF 1.5MB).

To nominate as a candidate you must:

• complete the nomination form (PDF 1.5MB).
• be nominated by at least one other person enrolled in the local government area in which you are standing.
• provide a recent head and shoulder photograph of yourself.

Your completed nomination form and photo may be lodged at a NT Electoral Commission office in Darwin or emailed to nominations.ntec@nt.gov.au

If emailed, make sure to confirm with the NT Electoral Commission that your nomination has been received.

Nominations can only be lodged after the notice inviting nominations is issued and before 12:00 noon on the day nominations close.

Campaigning may consist of:

• an electoral advertisement
• printed document such as a how-to-vote card, handbill or pamphlet
• a message containing electoral matter sent by telephone or electronic means
• published material containing electoral matter

Campaign material must have:

• the name and address of person authorising the material
• if printed material, the name and physical address of the print company
• the source of the funding for that material
• if material is two sided, above must be printed on both sides.

How-to-vote cards must:

• Use a different colour to the ballot papers
• Advise voters to number all squares against all candidates
• Do not use other candidates photos
• The words “ballot paper” should not appear as a title

The NT Electoral Commission can provide feedback on your how-to-vote materials based on these requirements.

Campaigning at voting centres includes:

• Canvassing for votes
• Soliciting the vote of a person
• Inducing a person not to vote for a particular candidate
• Inducing a person not to vote at an election
• Exhibiting a notice or sign relating to the election
• Using a speaker or similar to enhance the volume of a sound to broadcast a matter

Campaigning activities are not allowed at early voting centres

Campaigning is allowed on election day, but no campaigning activities can occur within 10 metres of the entrance to a voting centre including airspace.

For remote elections, candidates, scrutineers and other workers, should contact the relevant land council to discuss the processes for applying for a permit, under the Aboriginal Land Rights Act (NT) 1976.

Candidates should familiarise themselves with the campaigning requirements at local government elections set out in the Candidate handbook (PDF 1.3MB).

Code of conduct requirements apply to campaign workers, candidates and campaign workers must not:

• use language that provokes violence towards other candidate campaign workers or members of the public
• intimidate candidates or voters
• enter the prohibition zone set by the office in charge of the voting centre
• publish or display false information about other candidates
• plagiarise any other candidates acronym or symbol
• offer any inducement or reward to a person to vote for a candidate
• destroy, remove or deface posters belonging to other candidates

A person who does not comply with these conditions may be removed from the voting centre by the officer in charge or by the police.

Candidates and campaign workers should read the code of conduct in conjunction with the electoral offences outlined in the Local Government Act and Local Government Electoral regulations

Scrutineers play a vital role in ensuring transparency and integrity during the voting and counting processes. Each candidate may appoint one scrutineer in each voting centre, and one scrutineer per counting table in each counting centre.

To appoint a scrutineer, a candidate must complete the scrutineer appointment form (PDF 303KB) and provide it to the officer in charge of the voting or counting centre.

Scrutineer briefing sessions will be conducted as required at voting and counting centres, and a Scrutineer handbook (PDF 180KB) is also available to provide further guidance.

The Local Government Act introduced donation disclosure requirements for candidates effective from 1 July 2022.

A return is required if a candidate receives donations of $200 or more, from one person or entity, or loans of $1500 or more, from one loan or lender, during the donation disclosure period.

Candidates are not required to submit a campaign donation return, if they receive donations or loans below the threshold amounts, or if they receive no donations or loans. There is no requirement to submit a nil return.

The disclosure period and the due date for campaign donations for an election will be provided on the NT Electoral Commission website.

For more information refer to the Financial Disclosure handbook (PDF 703KB).

The return form is available here - 2024 Barkly Regional Council General Election donation return - Candidate.

Alternatively you can contact us for assistance.