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.