elections.act.gov.au Legislative Assembly Election 17th October 2020 : Australian Capital Territory Electoral Commission

Organisation : Australian Capital Territory Electoral Commission
Facility : Legislative Assembly Election 2020
Election Date : 17th October 2020
Territory : Australian Capital Territory
Country : Australia
Details : https://www.elections.act.gov.au/

Legislative Assembly Election

From 1989 until 2004, the ACT had fixed three-year terms. Since the 2004 election, the ACT has had fixed four-year terms. ACT Legislative Assembly elections are now held on the third Saturday in October every four years.

Related / Similar Post : Elections ACT Political Parties Register

From its establishment in 1989 until 2015, the ACT Legislative Assembly consisted of 17 members. Since the 2016 election, the Assembly consists of 25 members.

Timetable for 2020 Election

Last day to lodge applications for party register 30 June 2020**
Party registration closes 10 September 2020
Pre-election period commences and nominations open 11 September 2020**
Rolls close 8pm 18 September 2020
Nominations close 12 noon, 23 September 2020
Nominations declared and ballot paper order determined 24 September 2020
Pre-poll voting commences 28 September 2020
Polling day 17 October 2020
Last day for receipt of postal votes 23 October 2020
Scrutiny 17 October 2020 until as soon as practicable after the last day for the receipt of postal votes
Poll declared As soon as practicable after the conclusion of the scrutiny
Legislative Assembly formed Within 7 days of the declaration of the poll

Last day to lodge applications for party register:
An application for party registration, or any application to change the name or abbreviation of an already registered party, may be made at any time. However, to take effect at an election, an application must be made before 1 July in an election year.

Party registration closes :
The Commissioner is required to close the register 36 days before polling day. No action can be taken on any application or appeal against a decision on an application during the pre-election period.

Pre-election period commences and nominations open :
Nominations open 36 days before the election. You can stand for election to the ACT Legislative Assembly if you are
** an Australian citizen, and
** 18 years old, and
** qualified to be an elector in the ACT (that is, you have lived in the ACT for at least one month).

A person who wants to be a candidate for election to the ACT Legislative Assembly must first make certain they are qualified and then be nominated.

They may be nominated by twenty electors who are entitled to vote in the electorate for which they wish to stand or by a registered political party. A deposit of $250 must accompany each candidate’s nomination.

Rolls close :
The electoral roll closes 29 days before the election. All ACT residents who are Australian citizens and are 18 or over are reminded to enrol. If your name is not on the roll by the time it closes you will not be able to vote at the election.

Nominations close :
Nominations close 24 days before an election. This gives time for the ballot papers to be printed correctly before polling commences. Any candidate who is not nominated by this time cannot stand in the election.

Nominations declared and ballot paper order determined :
Nominations are declared 24 hours after they close. The order of names on the ballot papers are then determined by lot.

Pre-poll voting commences :
Voting starts 19 days before the election for those people who cannot get to a polling booth on polling day. These people may be sick or overseas or going away on holidays or have to work on polling day. If the day that voting is due to commence is a public holiday in the ACT, then voting commences on the next business day.

Polling day :
Polling day is the day that polling places open all over the ACT for people to be able to cast their vote. Polling places are open from 8 am to 6 pm.

Last day for receipt of postal votes :
Postal votes are accepted for another six days after polling day, provided that they were posted before polling day.

Scrutiny :
As soon as the poll closes, counting of the votes begins. This is called the scrutiny. Votes are initially counted in each polling place. Votes are entered into a computer system which checks formality and distributes preferences.

Legislative Assembly formed :
All 25 members of the Legislative Assembly meet and vote for a Speaker for the Assembly. Then the members vote for the Chief Minister.

Elections FAQ

Can an election be called at any time?
Election dates are set in the Electoral Act 1992. From 1989 until 2004 the ACT had three-year terms. The ACT Legislative Assembly now has fixed four-year terms, with elections held every four years on the third Saturday in October.

The Governor-General can dissolve the Assembly and order an early election if he or she is of the opinion that the Assembly is incapable of effectively performing its functions or is conducting its affairs in a grossly improper manner.

An early election can also be held if the Assembly passes a resolution of no confidence in the Chief Minister and does not elect a Chief Minister within 30 days – such an election cannot be held within 6 months of the next scheduled ordinary election.

Who can vote for ACT Legislative Assembly elections?
Any person who is 18 years old on or before polling day who is on the Commonwealth electoral roll with an ACT address can vote at Assembly elections.

Persons enrolled for an ACT electoral division for an address in Jervis Bay Territory or Norfolk Island are not entitled to vote for ACT Legislative Assembly elections.

Is voting compulsory?
Yes. Voting is compulsory for every person on the electoral roll except for eligible overseas electors, Antarctic electors, electors serving a prison sentence outside the ACT and itinerant electors.

How is a formal vote made?
Voters mark preferences for candidates in the order of their choice by using the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and so on. Voters should mark at least as many squares as there are vacancies, but may continue to number as many squares as they wish.

Preferences can be written in boxes located in any of the columns on the ballot paper, but there must not be more than one number 1 on the ballot paper. Ticks and crosses are not allowed.

The ballot paper is divided into columns with a party name above each column. Non-party candidates and party candidates where the party is only nominating one candidate for the electorate, are always located in the last column on the right of the ballot paper under the column heading “Ungrouped”