Registered political parties

If a political party wishes to nominate candidates for an election, the political party must be registered with the ECQ. Registered political parties must meet specific eligibility criteria and maintain compliance with all legislated obligations under the Electoral Act 1992.

For the purposes of state campaign bank accounts, expenditure caps, and political donation caps, an associated entity is considered part of the registered political party they are associated with. More information can be found on the Associated entities page.

Please click on the navigational tabs above to find out about the requirements for registered political parties.

Registration of a political party

The registration of political parties makes their roles and actions transparent to the public. Political parties must apply for registration with the ECQ and meet specific eligibility criteria. Once registered, the name of the registered political party is published on the ECQ’s Register of Political Parties.

Applications for registration and changes to registration can be found on the Register of Political Parties - Notices page.

Links to further information:

• Maintaining the Register of Political Parties Policy and Procedure

Forms:

• Form QSG01 – Application to register a political party
• Form QSG02 – Application to change the register of political parties
• Form QSG03 – Nomination of a deputy registered officer

Using a state campaign bank account

State campaign bank accounts are required to ensure transparency of financial transactions, including receiving political donations and incurring electoral expenditure.

All registered political parties must have and use a state campaign bank account. The ECQ must be notified of the state campaign bank account details within 5 business days of a political party being registered. Registered political parties must also notify the ECQ of any changes to the bank account details within 5 business days.

All political donations must be deposited into a party’s state campaign account within 5 business days of receiving the donor statement. There are also restrictions about what other amounts can be placed into a party’s state campaign account (see State fact sheet 11 for more details).

All electoral expenditure for a state election must be paid for from the party’s state campaign account.

Registered political parties must not use the same bank account for local and state elections.

Links to further information:

• State fact sheet 05 – Definition of gifts and loans
• State fact sheet 5A – Definition of political donations and donor statements
• State fact sheet 07 – Definition of electoral expenditure
• State fact sheet 11 – State campaign bank accounts for registered political parties

Electoral expenditure caps

Expenditure caps are limitations on the amount of electoral expenditure that can be incurred during the capped expenditure period for a state election. Any expenditure paid for before the capped expenditure period will still count towards the cap if the associated goods are first used for a campaign purpose during the capped period.

The electoral expenditure caps were adjusted for inflation on 26 November 2024 (see the Notice of electoral expenditure caps for more details).

2028 state general election

For the 2028 state general election, the capped expenditure period starts on 27 March 2028 and ends at 6pm on election day. Registered political parties may incur electoral expenditure of up to $115,156.91 during the capped expenditure period in each electoral district where they have endorsed a candidate.

By-elections

For a state by-election, the capped expenditure period starts on the day the writ for the election is issued and ends at 6pm on election day. Any electoral expenditure incurred by a registered political party will count towards the expenditure cap of that party’s endorsed candidate. In other words, parties and their endorsed candidate must not collectively spend more than the candidate’s cap of $108,898.38.

Links to further information:

• State fact sheet 07 – Definition of electoral expenditure
• State fact sheet 14 – Expenditure caps for registered political parties and endorsed candidates
• Video - Electoral expenditure caps - registered political parties and endorsed candidates

Electoral advertising and how-to-vote cards

There are specific requirements for registered political parties relating to electoral advertising and election material. Registered political parties and their agents must ensure that they are aware of all regulations relating to:

• the broadcast and publication of electoral material
• the authorisation of electoral material
• how-to-vote cards.

How-to-vote (HTV) cards show how a party wants voters to rank their preferences on their ballot paper when voting for their endorsed candidate in an election. HTV cards have specific requirements and must be approved by the ECQ before a registered political party or endorsed candidate can distribute them on election day.

State elections are subject to a media blackout period. The ECQ does not regulate media blackout laws. If you have questions about the blackout periods, contact the Australian Communications and Media Authority.

Links to further information:

• State fact sheet 1 – Authorisation of election material
• State fact sheet 3 – How-to-vote cards
• State fact sheet 30 – Offences relating to electoral advertising

Election signage

There are restrictions on the number, size and placement of election signs at polling places for state elections.

Registered political parties and their endorsed candidates may display at a polling place –

• during early voting – up to 2 small signs
• on election day – up to 6 signs (maximum of 4 large signs).

Small signs measure up to 900mm x 600mm on each side. Large signs measure up to 1830mm x 1220mm on each side. Signs can be displayed in either portrait or landscape orientation.

Registered political parties and their endorsed candidates share a combined sign quota.

Signage must be at least 6 metres from the polling place entrance and must not be displayed before 5am on election day.

All signs must be authorised.

Election signage displayed more than 100 metres from a polling place is not regulated by the ECQ. Please refer to:

• your local council – for signs on local roads and private property
• the Department of Transport and Main Roads – for signs on state-controlled roads.

Links for further information

• State fact sheet 01 – Authorisation of election material
• State fact sheet 02 – Election signage at polling places

Lodging election summary returns

Disclosure returns ensure that transfers of money used to support election participants in a state election are transparent.

In addition to reporting gifts and loans in real-time, election summary returns are required after a state election. The election summary return is a summary of all electoral expenditure incurred for an election, and it must be accompanied by an audit certificate and a bank statement from the registered political party’s state campaign account.

The return must be submitted within 15 weeks after the election.

Links to further information:

• State fact sheet 7 – Definition of electoral expenditure
• State fact sheet 8 – Disclosure of electoral expenditure and election summary returns
• Video - Election summary returns

Claiming election funding

Agents of registered political parties may claim election funding if any of the party’s endorsed candidates receive 4% of the formal first preference vote. Maximum entitlements are calculated by multiplying the formal first preference votes (for eligible districts) by the relevant election funding amount.

Claims must be lodged with the ECQ within 20 weeks after election day.

Claims for election funding must itemise each item of electoral expenditure incurred for the election and include supporting documentation such as invoices, copies of advertisements, receipts, etc.

Registered political parties will only be paid the amount of electoral expenditure claimed (and accepted by the ECQ), or their maximum entitlement, whichever is lower.

​Links to further information:

• State fact sheet 25 - Election funding claims
• State fact sheet 7 - Definition of electoral expenditure
• Election funding claims policy
• Video - Election funding claims

Forms: ​

• Form QSG14A - Claim for payment of election funding (for registered political parties)

Lodging periodic returns

The agent of a registered political party is required to lodge a disclosure return for each 6-month reporting period. The return must be lodged within 8 weeks of the end of the reporting period. The return can be lodged via the Electronic Disclosure System (EDS).

The return must include:

• the total amount received by the party
• the total amount paid by the party
• the total amount of outstanding debts, incurred by the party, as at the end of the reporting period
• a copy of the bank statement for the party’s state campaign bank account
• an audit certificate completed by a qualified auditor.

​Links to more information: ​

• State fact sheet 13 - Periodic returns

Record keeping

Registered political parties must keep all records relating to an election campaign for 5 years after the day that the record is made.

Political parties are subject to audit procedures and compliance activities conducted by the ECQ. There are substantial penalties for not complying with record keeping responsibilities and obligations.

Good record keeping supports full and accurate disclosure. Registered political parties and their agents should:

• record gifts and loans received, and electoral expenditure incurred, as soon as practical so they are not overlooked or forgotten
• save any paper records electronically to ensure they are not destroyed
• keep comprehensive records orderly for easy and quick retrieval
• regularly back-up electronic records
• ensure record keeping is up to date.

Links to further information:

• State fact sheet 4 - Record keeping requirements
• Video - Record keeping

Compliance

Election  participants can read about the ECQ’s Compliance Approach – including the ECQ’s expectations of election participants, and commitments to enforcing electoral laws – here. To report non-compliance, please check here to ensure you are reporting the non-compliance to the correct agency.

The ECQ publishes a range of fact sheets and handbooks for election participants, including registered political parties and their agents. You can use the ECQ website’s information for registered political parties to learn about parties’ obligations under the Electoral Act 1992. Registered political parties and their agents should also familiarise themselves with the full content of the relevant legislation and seek independent legal advice if required.

Party agents who commit an offence under the Electoral Act 1992 may be subject to fines or prosecution in court, depending on the seriousness of the offence.

Links to further information:

• State fact sheet 30 – Offences relating to electoral advertising