There are only 6 weeks left for new political parties to apply for registration for the 2016 ACT Legislative Assembly election, the ACT Electoral Commissioner, Phillip Green, said today.

“New parties wanting to run candidates in the 2016 election need to get their application for registration to the ACT Electoral Commissioner by the end of June,” Mr Green said. 

“Applications must be accompanied by the constitution of the party and the names of at least 100 members of the party who are on the ACT electoral roll.”

The main advantage of registration for a party is the right to list party candidates in a column under the party’s name on ballot papers, Mr Green said.

Registered parties are also given other rights, such as the right to nominate candidates and to receive copies of the ACT electoral roll.

“However, registering as a political party also comes with obligations,” Mr Green stated. “Each registered party is responsible for submitting annual financial disclosure returns, gift disclosures and electoral expenditure returns to the ACT Electoral Commissioner.”

There are currently six political parties registered to contest the October 2016 election:

• Australian Labor Party (ACT Branch)
• Australian Sex Party ACT
• Liberal Democratic Party
• Liberal Party of Australia (A. C. T. Division)
• The ACT Greens
• The Community Alliance Party (ACT)