Meg: Now we will move on to the focus of today’s session. In today’s information session, we’ll cover what will happen before voting begins, through to the declaration of results and the return of the writs. We’ll be covering how we communicate with the public and advertising this election, how and when voters can cast their vote, how we’ll be counting the votes, the role of scrutineers, the declaration of results, and recounts and disputed elections. We’ll hold a question and answer session at the end, so please post your questions using the Q&A function. The VEC website is the source of truth and is regularly updated as we progress through the election. Voters can sign up to the VEC’s VoterAlert system to receive alerts via email and SMS about upcoming elections and other important notices. Messages will be sent to VoterAlert subscribers at key points: a reminder to update your enrolment details before the close of roll, a reminder to vote just before early voting period commences, and an election day voting reminder.

Patrick: A major advertising campaign will be released in the lead up to the election, prompting voters to check their enrolment on the electoral roll and voting options, and a mis- and disinformation campaign. The campaign will also be supported with advertising on radio, major Victorian newspapers, and digital advertising across social media platforms. Proactive media releases are also distributed to all media outlets to raise awareness of key milestones of the election. In the lead up to the election, the VEC also hosts education and outreach sessions to a broad range of communities, outlining the electoral process and how to vote correctly. These sessions can be booked via the VEC website, and our team will also perform education outreach sessions on request. During the election, we operate a call centre for the public to contact if they have any questions or can’t access our website.

Meg: Voting begins on Tuesday the 17th of November with the commencement of mobile voting and our dedicated low sensory mobile voting centres. Early voting centres open to the general public the next day on Wednesday the 18th of November, and operate every day before election day, except Sunday. Any elector can vote at an early voting centre, and this election we have increased the number of early voting centres and extended their opening hours to meet voter demand and reduce wait times. Victorians who are interstate or overseas can also vote at interstate and overseas voting locations, which will be listed on our website once they are appointed. We provide candidates and registered political parties with the schedule for mobile voting for each district following the close of nominations, should candidates wish to appoint scrutineers. Mobile teams will carry a copy of all registered how to vote cards for the associated district and region to distribute to voters if requested, and a QR code linking voters to the list of all registered how to vote cards on our website at the time.

Patrick: The VEC will send postal ballot packs to electors registered as general postal voters and electors who have applied to vote by post for the election. Applications to vote by post for the election will open on Wednesday the 4th of November and close at 6pm On Wednesday, the 25th of November. Telephone assisted voting is available for those who face significant barriers to voting due to blindness or low vision, a motor impairment, or are affected by a declared emergency. The service will operate during the early voting period and on election day. Electors can vote at any voting centre in Victoria on election day, Saturday the 28th of November. 6pm on Election Day is the final time that voters can either cast their ballot in person or send off their completed postal vote. The last day that postal votes can be received by the VEC and admitted to the count is 6 pm on Friday, the 4th of December. Details of all voting centres and their operating hours will be distributed to registered political parties and candidates and will be available on the VEC website. Be aware that late changes to voting centres can occur, and while we try to use voting centres we have used in the past, this is not always possible.

Meg: Counting begins after 6 pm on election day and continues daily until the final result for each Legislative Assembly district election and Legislative Council region election is known. Each ballot paper goes through several rounds of scrutiny to cheque for formality and to ensure it is sorted to the right candidate or, in region elections, the right group. After the final number of candidates and groups in each district and region is confirmed, the VEC will finalise the schedule for counting activities. We will communicate, count activity schedules to candidates and registered political parties via email so candidates can inform their scrutineers. Votes will be counted across election day voting centers, election hubs and at the VEC centralized activity site known as the CAS.

Patrick: In state elections, we use different methods to determine the results in Legislative Assembly district elections and Legislative Council region elections. We use preferential counting in district elections, where one member is elected to the Legislative Assembly for each district. To be successfully elected, a candidate must receive more than 50% of all formal votes, an absolute majority. In all district elections ballot papers will be counted manually by hand and will undergo the following counts: a primary count to first preferences, a primary two candidate preferred, or 2CP count on election weekend. A recheck of first preference counts, a recheck 2CP count of all counts, and a full distribution of preferences. A full distribution of preferences involves excluding the candidate with the fewest votes at each distribution, and transferring each of their ballot papers to the remaining candidates in the order of the voters next highest preference. This process continues until only two candidates remain, and will provide the final margin between them. If a candidate achieves an absolute majority of first preference votes, this count is conducted for statistical purposes only. If there is no winner on first preference votes, the distribution of preferences will be completed to determine the result. Counts will continue until there are only two candidates remaining, even if a candidate has achieved an absolute majority during earlier distributions. All preference distributions should be completed within approximately two weeks of election day.

The VEC does not declare a successful candidate on election night. On election night, the VEC only counts the votes to first preference and conducts a 2CP count. While many psephologists and commentators may predict a winner on election night using data available from the VEC website, the VEC will only declare a successful candidate as elected once it is mathematically certain that no outstanding votes will change the result. This includes waiting for ballot papers arriving by post or coming from interstate and overseas during the days after election day.

Meg: As it can take several weeks to get the official result in each district, a two candidate preferred count is conducted on each parcel of votes to provide an early indication of the likely result. Its purpose is to provide preference data to election analysts, candidates, registered political parties and the media to allow them to predict the likely outcome in each district. This then provides an early indication of who will form government. The 2CP count is indicative only and involves preferences being distributed to the two candidates considered most likely to have the highest number of votes after the full distribution of preferences. The VEC makes its decision on the 2CP pairing in each Legislative Assembly district election shortly after nominations has closed, and well ahead of election day. This is confidential until voting has closed at 6 pm on election night.

Patrick: 2CP predictions have become more challenging as voter support patterns have shifted. Our 2CP predictions are made using the best available information, along with political science and statistical modeling techniques. We will monitor the result on election weekend and if the selected 2CP candidates appears to be incorrect, a corrected 2CP count may take place following the recheck. The decision to make a correction is at the discretion of the VEC, and any correction remains a prediction that may not reflect the official result once known, especially as it is sometimes not possible to identify who will be the final two candidates until the distribution of preferences is completed. As the 2CP results do not affect the official results, the VECs main focus after election weekend will be on determining the official results as soon as possible, prioritising the accuracy and completion of primary and recheck counts over the statistical counts.

Meg: We use proportional representation counting in Legislative Council region elections, where five members are elected to the Legislative Council for each region. To be elected, candidates must receive a proportion of formal votes, known as the quota. The quota is calculated by dividing the total number of formal ballot papers by one, more than the number of candidates to be elected, and then adding one to the result and disregarding any remainder. For example, if there were 450,000 formal ballot papers for a region election, the quota for a candidate in that region to be elected would be 75,001 ballot papers. Ballot papers in region elections will first undergo a primary first preference count. This will either be conducted manually in most election day voting centers or manually at our centralised activity site once all Legislative Council ballot papers have been transferred there at the close of voting. We will then perform a recheck first preference count via two rounds of data entry for both above-the-line and below-the-line votes. Each region election result will then be calculated by computer once group voting tickets have been loaded for the total above-the-line votes for each group.

Patrick: We will communicate the count activity schedule to candidates and parties to inform their scrutineers. We will publish our high level count plan in our election service plan later this year, and any changes or updates to it at the commencement of the election. We will provide candidates and registered political parties with detailed count plans in the week before election day. This will include a voting centre count plan account plan for activities occurring in each district’s election hub, and a count plan for activities occurring at the CAS. Candidates and RPPs will be able to view any changes to these count plans in real time.

Meg: Scrutineers play an important role in Victorian elections. Candidates are not allowed in election venues to observe certain election processes, such as issuing votes, scrutinising and extracting declaration votes and counting. Instead, parties and candidates can send scrutineers to observe these activities and represent their interests. Scrutineers monitor these election processes closely and ensure elections are held to a high standard of scrutiny.

Patrick: Candidates cannot be appointed as a scrutineer for any district or region at the election, except for scrutineering a recount which doesn’t involve the district or region for which they have nominated. Candidates must complete an appointment and declaration of scrutineer form for each scrutineer and at each election venue they intend to visit. These forms are available from the relevant election manager or on the VEC website. Activities that may be observed and scrutinised include issuing ballot papers, receiving and admitting or rejecting declaration votes, and opening and extracting them from envelopes. Extracting and sorting early and postal votes within a restricted area on election day. This will occur in election hubs and at our centralised activity site between 8 am and 6 pm to prepare early and postal ballot papers for counting after voting closes at 6 pm. And also counting, rechecking, distributing, and recounting ballot papers. During these activities, scrutineers can request a formal challenge to the interpretation of preferences on particular ballot papers. Challenges are not allowed during indicative counts, such as the two candidate preferred counts and the amalgamation of ballot papers prior to a distribution of preferences. The number of scrutineers that may attend an activity on behalf of the candidate is limited by the scrutineer quota. The quota varies depending on the activity, and is usually based on the number of election officials that are that are engaged in the activity that is taking place. The indicative number of election officials involved in an activity will be made available in the count plan, so that candidates have an indication of how many scrutineers they can appoint to observe it. For further information on the activities that scrutineers can observe as well as information on quotas, please refer to the Scrutineer handbook when it is published in August.

Meg: Election managers are required to publicly declare the election results and announce the names of the successful candidates. Candidates and RPPs will be advised of the date, time and location of the declaration so that they may attend. Declarations for the Legislative Assembly district elections are expected to commence from Wednesday, the 9th of December and complete by 4 pm on Tuesday, the 15th of December, subject to any recounts being required. Legislative Council region election results will be declared by a nominated region election manager at our centralised activity site. All elections must be declared before the return of the writs. The latest possible date for a declaration is Friday, the 18th of December 2026.

Patrick: Candidates who receive 4% or more of the formal first preference votes in their electorate, or who are elected, will have their nomination deposits refunded within 6 to 8 weeks after the declaration of the election. This includes all candidates in a group that receives more than 4% of formal first preference votes in a Legislative Council region election. We will refund nomination deposits for independent candidates directly to the candidate, and for candidates endorsed by an RPP, directly to the RPP. Refunds will be made by direct credit into a nominated bank account. We will also refund nomination deposits if a candidate retires or dies before the close of nominations, or if they are a candidate in a failed election.

Meg: A recount may be performed if the result of an election is extremely close. This doesn’t only include the final margin, it can also include where margins are close when a candidate is excluded in a distribution of preferences. Recounts can only occur before an election result is declared. The VEC may decide to initiate a recount, or a candidate may submit a recount request specifying reasons as to why the recount should occur. Requests from candidates can only be made in writing once a provisional result is known, and will be assessed on a case by case basis. If a recount is required, the VEC will provide at least four hours notice and will formally notify all candidates, candidate contact persons and RPPs with candidates in the district or region being recounted. In a recount, parcels of ballot papers are opened and each ballot paper within the parcels is reexamined. A recount can be conducted on all ballot papers for an election, known as a full recount, or only some of the ballot papers for an election, known as a partial recount. The type of recount to be conducted is determined by the VEC.

Patrick: The validity of any election can only be disputed by a petition to the Court of Disputed Returns. For state elections, The Supreme Court of Victoria sits as the Court of Disputed Returns. Candidates, electors or the VEC can petition the Court of Disputed Returns. The petition must be filed with the prothonotary of the Supreme Court of Victoria within 40 days after the return of the writ. If you are considering a petition to the Court of Disputed Returns, you are strongly encouraged to seek independent advice.

Meg: That concludes the deep dive into election operations for the 2026 Victorian state election. If you have any questions, please use the Q&A function now. If you are having trouble with the Q&A function, use the link posted in chat or email your questions to candidateservices@vec.vic.gov.au. For any questions that come through that relate to an individual circumstance or are of a technical nature, we will take them on notice and get back to you directly in the coming days. And now we’ll go to the questions.

Patrick: So, we’ve got our first question that has come through and I’ll just read it out. Will any specific electorates get 3CP counts on election night? If so, when will candidates be informed and if counting needs to start earlier, when will scrutineers be permitted to be present?

Meg: So, the answer to that is no, there will be no 3CP counts conducted on election night. Only 2CP counts will be conducted on election night and over the course of election weekend. We will monitor the results of those 2CP counts on election weekend, and where those selected candidates in a district do appear incorrect, we may decide to correct the 2CP during the recheck process if a more accurate selection can be determined at that point in time. As part of this, we may decide to conduct a 3CP count, but only in certain circumstances.

Patrick: We’re just waiting for any others. Ah, here we go. Meg, can you explain the scrutiny quota in more detail?

Meg: Look, we heard in the presentation that the scrutiny quota is the limit on the number of scrutineers that a candidate can appoint to observe one of the activities that they are allowed to observe on behalf of their candidates to represent their interests. The activities that scrutineers can observe are really broken down into two high level categories. One is a prescribed activity and the rules for the scrutineer quota for prescribed activities are set in legislation and generally are one scrutineer per candidate for each election official who is involved in the activity. When the activity that you are allowed to observe is what we call an additional activity, which is something that’s not prescribed in legislation, and the VEC has decided that we will allow a scrutineer to observe that on behalf of a candidate, that is not set in legislation and the VEC determines the scrutiny quota in that instance, which once again is the limit on the number of scrutineers that can represent a candidate to observe that activity. In most instances for additional activities, the VEC will follow the rule to allow as much access to scrutineers as possible, but in some instances we may set that scrutineer quota to be one scrutineer per candidate. You’ll be able to find more detail on scrutineer quotas on the VEC website. And just out of interest, we have just launched our most recent determination on scrutineering an election that you can now find available on the VEC website. And as referenced in the presentation, the Scrutineer handbook for the 2026 state election will be available online from August to provide further information.

Patrick: We’ve got another question that’s come through: Will we get a result for region elections on election night?

Meg: We won’t get a result for any election, actually, Patrick, on election night. And I think it’s really important that we do make this distinction. And we did allude to it in the presentation. We will be conducting a number of first preference counts and 2CP counts for district elections on election night. We will be counting as many votes across election weekend that are available to us to count. But as we’ve heard hopefully through the presentation today, while we can have election analysts and psephologists and members of the media predict the likely winners of those elections from the data that is made available on election night, we won’t have an official winner until much later in the timeline. Now the VEC is required, as you’ve heard, with the declarations required to be performed by the 18th of December. We have a three-week period to finish our counts and determine the result. For region elections we wouldn’t expect to have an official result until around two and a half weeks after election day, but as those first preference counts and that data goes up to the VEC website, it will be possible to start seeing which candidates have effectively achieved a quota from the first preference results. So while those candidates will be able to be identified we won’t have the full set of region candidates, the official result in each election until we calculate that result around two and half weeks after election day.

Patrick: We have a very specific question that is a bit of a test of our immediate knowledge in the future. When will the complete service plan be made public?

Meg: Again, I think as we’ve heard today, our draught service plan is currently out on the VEC website. We will aim to publish the full completed service plan, or the final service plan, I should say, around that August mark, as we’ve talked about with the Candidate handbooks and Scrutineer handbooks. So stay tuned and look back onto the website around that time to see if you can take a look at it.

Patrick: And we’re just going to wait to see if anymore questions come through. Seems we may have exhausted.

Meg: OK, no more questions, so thank you everyone for the questions that did get asked today. That concludes today’s information session. As we come to the end of the webinar, here are the key dates for this election and a reminder to see the information on the VEC website for guidance. Further information can be found in the Candidate handbook and the Scrutineer handbook when they are published in August, as we’ve said, and we will communicate all important updates with registered political parties and candidates ahead of and during the election. If this briefing has raised any questions that were not covered, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us anytime or contact your election manager from Tuesday the 3rd of November when election office is open.

Patrick: Join us for additional deep dives into topics specific to candidates and parties at the election at later webinars. View the information session schedule and register on the VEC website. Thank you again for joining us today.

Catherine: Now we will move on to the focus of today’s session, how to nominate. As we go, remember you can use the Q&A function if you have any questions. Today we are covering eligibility, how to nominate if you’re a party-endorsed candidate, how to nominate if you’re an independent candidate, including everything you need to prepare for your nomination appointment, the ballot draw, and how to access electoral roll products.

Ann-Maree: Keep in mind that you are not officially a candidate in the election until you have lodged your nomination form in person and pay the deposit.

Catherine: Before you begin the nomination process, you should confirm your eligibility to stand as a candidate by checking the eligibility criteria listed on our website and in the Candidate Handbook. You are eligible to nominate as a candidate if, at the close of the roll, you are a Victorian resident, enrolled to vote in Victoria, and not disqualified from being a Member of Parliament. You cannot nominate if you are not enrolled, are a judge of a court in Victoria, are an undischarged bankrupt, or are a member of either House of the Commonwealth Parliament. You can stand for election but can’t take office without first resigning if you are a local government councillor, a Victorian public service employee, or an Australian public service employee. There are further disqualifications. If you’re not sure if you’re eligible to nominate, refer to the Candidate Handbook for more detail. You should also consider seeking independent legal advice.

Ann-Maree: Make sure your enrolment details are up to date before you begin the nomination process, especially if your name and address have changed in the last few years, as your enrolment details cannot be changed for this election after the close of roll. You can check your enrolment at the VEC website. It is your responsibility to make sure that you’re eligible to nominate as a candidate and hold office if you are elected. If you are ineligible and still lodge a nomination, you are committing an offence. So check your enrolment, confirm your eligibility and seek advice if unsure, either by contacting the Candidate Services team at the VEC or seeking independent legal advice. The VEC cannot provide you with advice on how the eligibility requirements apply to your individual circumstances. If you find out after you nominate that you’re no longer eligible, contact the election manager as soon as possible.

Catherine: The nominations process differs depending on whether you are running as an independent candidate or as a candidate endorsed by a registered political party. If you’re endorsed, you must complete part 2 of the nomination form for registered political party (RPP) candidates, and the registered officer of the party must lodge your nomination by appointment at VEC head office. For the 2026 state election, nominations open at 9 a.m. on Wednesday 4 November and close at 12 noon on Monday 9 November.

Ann-Maree: Nomination appointments with registered officers from registered political parties will take place at VEC head office at Level 11, 530 Collins Street, Melbourne. The VEC will reach out to registered officers with details on how to make nomination appointments. Only registered officers or deputy registered officers can lodge nominations on behalf of their party, and they must attend the appointment in person.

Catherine: For registered political parties, the easiest way to prepare nomination forms for endorsed candidates is to use the Endorsed Nominations tool to input each candidate’s details before attending the nomination appointment. Each candidate still needs to sign the declaration on part 2 of their own nomination form, and the registered officer must sign part 1 as well. We’re developing a new system for this election to make nominations for RPPs even smoother, and we’ll share instructions with registered political parties ahead of the nomination period. On screen is a step-by-step guide to the nomination process for independent candidates. We’ll go into each point in detail, but remember that your first step is to confirm your eligibility. As an independent candidate, you submit your nomination to the election manager of the district or region you are nominating for. You can prepare the nomination form online using our Candidate Helper tool, which is the fastest and easiest way to complete it, or you can pick up a hard copy from any election office across the state once they open in November. You will need to make an appointment to lodge your nomination with the election manager. If you are nominating for a region election, you can make an appointment with any election manager for a district election within that region. It is a good idea to make an appointment early in the nomination period to discuss any questions you have and to ensure there’s time to resolve any issues with your nomination forms.

Ann-Maree: You can book your nomination appointment by calling the VEC candidate services team on 03 8620 1316 before nominations open or directly with the election office on the first day of the nomination period. Phone numbers for the election office will be listed on the VEC website. You cannot submit your nomination form online or by email.

Catherine: Independent candidates must get support from nominators for the electorate they wish to nominate in. As part of your nomination form, you must collect the full name, enrolment address, date of birth, and signatures of at least six people if you are nominating for a district election, or at least 50 people if you are nominating for a region election. These people must be enrolled in the district or region in which you are nominating.

Ann-Maree: You should provide more than the required number of nominators in case any are found to be enrolled in a different electorate or not enrolled when checks are performed during the nomination appointment. If you use Candidate Helper, you can print a copy of the form to fill out as part of your nomination form, or pick up a copy from the VEC website or any election office.

Catherine: We encourage you to use Candidate Helper to prepare your nomination form, as it guides you through each part and makes it easier to prepare. Candidate Helper will be available on the VEC website shortly before nominations open. You do not need to complete your form in one session — you can save it and come back later. Using Candidate Helper means your information can be loaded into our election management system automatically at your nomination appointment, so you won’t have to wait for the election manager to manually type it in. Once you have entered all your details, you can save your information and generate a pre-completed nomination form to print. You must print your forms before your nomination appointment, as you won’t be able to use printers at the election office. You can call the Candidate Services team if you need any assistance.

Ann-Maree: Using Candidate Helper to prepare your nomination does not submit or approve your nomination, you must still attend an appointment with the election manager at the relevant election office with your completed nomination form and nomination deposit – unless you’ve authorised another person to attend the appointment or you’re nominating by post. Candidate Helper does not check your enrolment or verify your eligibility to nominate. If you’re a silent elector, you will still be required to provide your enrolled address on your nomination form.

Catherine: On the nomination form, you will confirm how your name will appear on the ballot paper. If your name does not meet the requirements, we will ask you to amend your ballot paper name, which may delay processing. Your family name must match the electoral roll exactly, but you may use an acceptable alternative to your full given name that appears on the roll. Acceptable alternatives include your middle name or a second given name, an initial for any of your given names, a commonly accepted variation (including abbreviations), or a name you are commonly known by. If you go by a name that is not your legal name on the roll, you must provide evidence with your nomination form that confirms you are known by that name in the community. If the evidence is not satisfactory, you may be required to use your enrolled name on the ballot paper. Further guidelines for ballot paper names can be found in the Candidate Handbook. Acceptable evidence may include a business card or ID card, a work email address, a news publication, or a utility bill. Social media profiles or posts are not sufficient evidence to demonstrate that you are known by a different name. Remember to check your enrolment details before nominating to ensure your name on the roll is up to date. If you need to update your details on the roll, you must do so before the close of roll in November.

Ann-Maree: You must provide an email address and at least one phone number for the VEC to contact you regarding your nomination and to send important election updates. Please provide contact details that you will use even after the election has concluded. These details will only be used for official purposes, will not be publicly available, and will be passed on to the Department of Parliamentary Services if you are elected so they can arrange your onboarding as a Member of Parliament.

Catherine: You will also be required to provide details of a public contact person on behalf of your campaign. This can be you or another person. These details will be displayed at the election office and published on the VEC website, accessible to the public. It is important that the contact person is aware their details will be publicly available, and once published it’s not possible to make changes.

Ann-Maree: You must also provide a contact person for complaints or inquiries about your election signs — this can be you or another person, including the same person as your public contact. These details will not be published but will be used for official purposes, including at short notice. An email address and at least one phone number must be provided, and this contact person must be available and ready to respond during busy periods, including at short notice and outside business hours.

Catherine: Make sure you have everything ready for your nomination appointment. You’ll need your completed hard copy nomination form, the details of your nominators (six people for a district election or 50 for a region election), and your nomination deposit of $350 cash. The nomination deposit must be paid by cash — we cannot accept personal cheques, card payments, EFTPOS, or money orders. Election offices will open and be ready to take appointment bookings from 9 a.m. on Wednesday 4 November. For the 2026 state election nominations will close at 12 noon on Monday 9 November 2026. Don’t leave your appointment until the last day in case there are errors with your forms that need to be fixed before the close of nominations.

Ann-Maree: If you are unable to lodge a nomination in person, contact Candidate Services or the election manager to discuss other options. It is your responsibility to ensure your nomination form is received by the election manager before the deadline. Late nominations cannot be accepted.

Catherine: When you arrive at the election office for your appointment, a staff member or the election manager will check that you have completed your nomination form and brought the nomination deposit. If there are issues with missing or incorrect information, the election manager will discuss this with you, and you must initial any changes you make. The election manager will then send your nomination form to VEC head office, where staff will confirm the details of your nominators against the electoral roll and advise the election manager once complete. This can take some time depending on the number of nominations being processed across Victoria, so you may need to wait.

Ann-Maree: When your nominators have been confirmed, the election manager will enter your nomination information into the election management system. VEC head office staff will conduct further checks, and if any issues are identified, the election manager will contact you to resolve them. Following the close of nominations, the election manager will conduct the ballot draw.

Catherine: The order of each candidate and group on the ballot papers is determined by a computerised random draw after nominations close. For district elections, the ballot draw is a single computerised random draw. For region elections, the ballot draw may be drawn in up to three parts to determine the order of groups above the line, the order of candidates within a group (if the group did not specify an order), and then the order of ungrouped candidates. The ballot draw is a public event and anyone can attend, including candidates. After the ballot draw, the VEC website will be updated to show candidate names in ballot paper order. The random computerised draw has been independently audited, and in rare cases such as a technology outage, a manual draw might be necessary. For more information, and to view the code used for our randomised computer draw, please see the VEC website.

Ann-Maree: After the ballot draw, the election manager will provide you with a sample how-to-vote card showing candidates’ names as they will appear on the ballot paper. Please pay close attention to the order, spelling and format of names on the ballot paper, as errors on how-to-vote cards may result in applications to register them being rejected. For registered groups and registered political parties, group voting ticket templates for each region election will also be sent via email.

Catherine: For independent candidates, once you are nominated, you will be able to request access to roll information for the district or region election that you are contesting. You are only permitted to use roll data for purposes connected to the election campaign or monitoring the accuracy of information on the roll. It is your responsibility to protect enrolment information in your possession and destroy it, and any copies, after your campaign. Permitted uses include sending electoral campaign material, door-knocking campaigns, or mail-merging letters. Please note we do not provide email addresses, phone numbers, or details of silent electors as part of this information, and misuse of roll data is a serious offence with strict penalties.

Ann-Maree: Registered political parties are entitled to receive enrolment data for the State of Victoria if you are an endorsed candidate — contact your party in the first instance. We use a secure data exchange portal called DEX to provide enrolment information to registered political parties and candidates. Roll products will be uploaded to DEX as soon as possible after the close of nominations, and those who have requested roll products will receive an email notification when they are available. Registered officers for registered political parties are entitled to receive a file containing a copy of the electoral roll for all districts. Candidates who request a roll receive a single CSV file that can be opened in Microsoft Excel. Candidates may also access postal vote application data by completing the confidentiality agreement form, which you can submit as part of your nomination appointment. Like other roll products, this will only contain names and addresses of postal applicants, not phone or email contact information.

Catherine: And that concludes the deep dive into the nomination process. If you have any questions about becoming a candidate, please use the Q&A function now. If you’re having any trouble with the Q&A function, you can also email your questions to candidateservices@vec.vic.gov.au. For any questions that come through that relate to individual circumstances, or are technical in nature, we may take them on notice and get back to you directly in the coming days. We’ll start with the questions submitted ahead of time.

Ann-Maree: Catherine, we’ve got some questions already up. Someone’s asked: can I pay the nomination fee by bank cheque?

Catherine: Yes, currently you can pay by bank cheque, but cash is preferred. There’s a cost at most banks to issue a bank cheque, so for $350 it’s usually a bit easier. But yes, bank cheque is allowed.

Ann-Maree: How do independent candidates get access to the roll?

Catherine: Independent candidates will also get access to the roll through DEX, our secure data exchange, they will be contacted after the close of nominations if they filled out an access to the roll request form and put down the same email address that they used during the nomination appointment. Please make sure that you’re accessing your nomination appointment email. You’ll receive instructions on how to access DEX through a candidate bulletin and you’ll have to sign an agreement around confidentiality material but then you’ll be able to download the files directly from DEX.

Ann-Maree: Next question (voting centres): when can candidates get a list of where the voting centres are?

Catherine: Voting centres will be provided to candidates through a candidate bulletin — the first one will go out immediately after the close of nominations. We also have a statewide voting centre locator, which is part of our interactive map on the website.

Ann-Maree: Next question: do I have to make a how-to-vote card?

Catherine: How-to-vote cards are not compulsory, so you don’t have to register one. But they are the only form of electoral campaign material that can be handed out within 100 metres of voting centres on election day. So it’s in your best interests to register a card. Let voters know who you are and why they should vote for you, so you have something to hand out if you’re campaigning outside voting centres on election day.

Ann-Maree: When it comes to providing evidence of alternative names, can this be provided ahead of the nomination period for review by the VEC in case the evidence isn’t sufficient or another type is required?

Catherine: That’s a great question. Absolutely. You can send through evidence to candidateservices@vec.vic.gov.au and we’ll take a look at it. We’ll give you some advice as to whether it would be sufficient, but you will still have to provide that with your nomination form in November.

Catherine: Alright, it looks like that’s all we have for today. Thanks everyone for your questions. Just some closing remarks before we wrap up this evening. Here are some key dates on the screen once again. Topics not covered in today’s information session that you should also be aware of are your funding and disclosure obligations and the rules around electoral campaign material — be sure to familiarise yourself with these topics using the information available on the VEC website and in the Candidate Handbook. We also have some further webinars coming up which will cover these. If this briefing has raised any questions that we have not covered, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us anytime or contact your election manager from Tuesday the 3rd of November when election offices open. And join us for additional deep dives into topics specific to candidates and parties at later webinars. You can view the information session schedule and register on the VEC website. Thank you again for joining us today.

Zara: Now we will move on to the focus of today’s session, How-to-vote cards for District elections. As we go, remember to use the Q&A function if you have any questions.

Zara: In this portion of the webinar, we’ll do a deep dive in How-to-vote cards (also called HTVCs) for Legislative Assembly elections.

Today we’re covering:

the different types of How-to-vote cards;

- how to submit your How-to-vote card for registration

- the authorisation and endorsement requirements

- ensuring your HTVC (How-to-vote card) is compliant

- what happens after HTVC registration

- and the rules around distributing your How-to-vote card.

Zara: How-to-vote cards are a specific type of electoral campaign material that along with the rules for all electoral campaign material are also bound by legislation covering how they can be distributed on Election Day outside of voting centres.

Zara: You are likely familiar with How-to-vote cards from participating in previous elections. A How-to-vote card is electoral material that includes a representation of a ballot paper, including partial or purported partial representations, or lists the names of candidates for an election with a number indicating an order of voting preference against the names of any or all those candidates.

Riley: If you intend to distribute How-to-vote cards on Election Day outside voting centres, you must apply to have them registered by the Victorian Electoral Commission. Registered How-to-vote cards are the only electoral campaign material that can be distributed within 400 metres of a voting centre on Election Day.

Zara: There are three types of How-to-vote cards:

A single How-to-vote card contains voting instructions for one electoral district or region. Any person or group can submit a single how to vote card. That includes candidates, registered political parties, interest groups and individuals.

A combined How-to-vote card contains voting instructions for one or more electoral districts or regions for which the registered political party has endorsed a candidate.

A multiple How-to-vote card contains voting instructions for every electoral district and/or region for which the registered political party has an endorsed candidate. Only a registered political party can submit a combined or a multiple How-to-vote card.

Zara: Registration for How-to-vote cards will open on Tuesday, the 10th of November and close at 12 noon on Friday, the 20th of November.

Zara: For registered political parties, we ask registered officers to book an appointment to submit their How-to-vote cards for registration at the VEC head office.

Zara: You should review the requirements of how-to-vote card submission prior to your appointment and ensure your How-to-vote cards are compliant, because if your How-to-vote card does not meet the requirement for registration, your application will be refused.

These requirements are explained in detail in the Candidate Handbook, with an applications checklist.

Zara: If your application is refused, we’ll provide the grounds for refusal and you may submit a new How-to-vote card application with the issues corrected. However, this can be time consuming and will delay the registration process, so please check your How-to-vote cards carefully for small things like spelling of candidates’ names, spelling of Victorian Electoral Commission, and that the authorisation statement is correct.

Zara: If you submit your How-to-vote card on the last day for submission and your How-to-vote card is refused, you will not be able to submit a new application once the registration period has closed.

Riley: This slide outlines the How-to-vote card submission process for RPPs. Looking at step 2 on the flowchart, for each How-to-vote card you submit, you must provide the card in a soft copy PDF format and two hard copies. When you’re ready, book your appointment with the Candidate Services team to lodge your How-to-vote card at the VEC’s head office.

Make sure you upload the soft copy onto DEx prior to your appointment.

We’ll provide you with an instructional guide on how to upload and use DEx.

Riley: Each How-to-vote card must be accompanied by a hard copy declaration form, which we’ll provide to parties by email ahead of the election.

You must also provide hard copy translations of any writing that is in a language other than English on your how-to-vote card.

The VEC will not pre-approve templates for your How-to-vote cards. You can discuss your How-to-vote card with your Election Manager.

Riley: Or the Candidate Services team if you have any questions. However, you are encouraged to first make use of the handbook and the checklists that are available.

Riley: If your application is refused, we will notify you directly by 12 noon on the day after you submit your application and we’ll provide the grounds for refusal. You can submit a new application with a corrected version of your How-to-vote card before registrations close.

Riley: If your How-to-vote card is registered, it will be made available on the VEC website and it can be distributed outside voting centres on Election Day.

If you would like your registered How-to-vote card distributed at mobile voting centres, you must provide printed copies to the relevant election manager.

Zara: Anyone can register a How-to-vote card, not just registered political parties. The content requirements for How-to-vote cards and the rules on how they can be distributed are the same for registered political parties as they are for any other person or group registering a how-to-vote card. If you’re not registering a How-to-vote card on behalf of a registered political party, you need to submit the How-to-vote card to the Election Manager of the relevant district or region within the registration period.

Zara: Call the Election Office to make an appointment from the 3rd of November.

Zara: Here is the step-by-step process to submitting a How-to-vote card for anyone other than an RPP. You must submit your How-to-vote card to the relevant Election Manager in a soft copy PDF format by email and two hard copies in person. You will also need to submit a hard copy declaration form and translation if any languages other than English appear on the card. Check your card carefully for spelling and to ensure it follows the rules, and if you are unsure, check the requirements in the Candidate Handbook. If your How-to-vote card registration is refused, you can submit a corrected version before registration closes.

Riley: If your How-to-vote card is registered, it’ll be made available for download on the VEC website and it can be distributed at voting centres on Election Day. You can provide printed copies to the relevant Election Manager to use at mobile voting centres. Remember that only registered How-to-vote cards can be handed out within 400 metres of a voting centre on Election Day. The registration period for How-to-vote cards opens on Tuesday the 10th of November and closes at 12 noon on Friday the 20th of November.

Zara: How-to-vote cards, like all print electoral campaign material, must be authorised. To authorise something is to include a name and address somewhere visible on the material—that’s what forms the authorisation statement. An address should be the usual address of the person, political party, group or organisation, and should include the street number, street name, suburb or town and state. It does not have to be a residential address; it could be a business or office address that they have regular access to. A PO box or email address is not acceptable. Parties can use the registered party name and address in the authorisation statement if they wish. The authorisation statement must always be in English, as well as any other languages used in the electoral campaign material, and it must be legible from an appropriate distance. If an authorisation statement is too small or obscured by poor design choices—like overlapping images or poorly contrasting colours—then it is unlikely to satisfy the requirement.

Zara: For any information on authorisation guidelines, including examples of authorisation statements, please refer to the authorisation webpage on the VEC website or the Candidate Handbook.

Riley: Registered how-to-vote cards must also include the printer details and the registration endorsement. Here is what the full authorisation and endorsement that you must include in the footer of the card looks like: “Authorised by …” (include the name and street address of the authoriser), “Printed by …” (include the name and place of business of the printer), and “Registered by the Victorian Electoral Commission.”

Riley: You must not distribute a How-to-vote card containing the registration endorsement if that How-to-vote card has not yet been registered, even at early voting centres. We strongly recommend that you don’t print How-to-vote cards with the endorsement statement until your how-to-vote card has been successfully registered.

Zara: You should obtain permission before including certain materials on your how-to-vote card. This includes photos of people other than yourself, images that identify specific organisations, or quotes from third parties. In the past, organisations have objected to being featured because it implies they officially endorse a candidate. While the use of such material would not prevent How-to-vote card registration unless it was in breach of another requirement, we recommend that you obtain permission where relevant to avoid time-consuming disputes, including possible civil action, as well as reprinting costs.

Riley: It’s important to note that the VEC does not provide legal advice and has limited authority to regulate the content of electoral campaign material, except where the material is offensive, obscene, or likely to mislead or deceive an elector in casting their vote.

Zara: Make sure your How-to-vote card complies with all the requirements to avoid being refused registration. You should double check that the card clearly identifies the person, registered political party or group on whose behalf it is distributed; that any logos or emblems are at least 4 square centimetres when printed (and if you shrink your card after registration, ensure the logo stays above this size); that the authorisation statement is visible and contains an endorsement statement; that the card does not contain material that is offensive or obscene; that it indicates an order of voting preference for all candidates listed or instructs the voter to number every box on the ballot paper; and that all candidates and parties shown are spelled correctly and listed in official ballot order, so the card does not mislead in the casting of the vote. We will go into more detail on misleading content now.

Riley: If your How-to-vote card contains a representation of a Legislative Assembly district ballot paper, you must make sure that the card is not misleading in the casting of the vote. That is, ensuring that any voter who follows the instructions on the How-to-vote card will submit a complete and formal ballot paper which reflects their intended choice. If your card includes a full ballot paper representation, you must include either a numbered preference for every candidate on the ballot paper—making sure every box contains a number and no numbers are repeated or skipped—or at least two prominent statements instructing voters to number every box if there are any boxes left blank on your card.

Riley: You should ensure that any voting instruction statements do not imply that the only way to formally vote is to follow that How-to-vote card, and do not contradict the voting instructions on VEC-issued ballot papers. The checks for misleading material on How-to-vote cards also apply for how-to-vote cards that contain a representation of a Legislative Council Region ballot paper. See our information session on How-to-vote cards for Legislative Council elections, or the Candidate Handbook, for more information.

Zara: Shortly after your How-to-vote card is registered, we’ll publish it on the VEC website and make it available for anyone to view it at both VEC’s head office and the relevant Election Office. If you need to correct an error on your How-to-vote card, you must submit an amended version of your card for re-registration no later than 12 noon on Monday 3rd of November. Once we receive your amended card, we will notify you of the outcome by 12 noon the following day.

Zara: The rules for distributing How-to-vote cards differ depending on where you are distributing them. How-to-vote cards that have been registered by the VEC are the only electoral material that can be distributed within 400 metres of a voting centre on Election Day. This limitation does not apply to posters or similar materials that are attached to a structure or vehicle, material in a campaign office, or the normal distribution of a newspaper. An election manager or election official can ask a person they reasonably suspect to be distributing unregistered How-to-vote cards to produce their How-to-vote cards for inspection and hand over all unregistered cards.

Riley: How-to-vote cards distributed at an early voting centre don’t need to be registered. However, they must contain the name and address of the person authorising the card and the printer details, and they must not be likely to mislead or deceive an elector in casting their vote. How-to-vote cards distributed at early voting centres that have not been registered by the Victorian Electoral Commission must not contain the endorsement. How-to-vote cards for mobile voting must be registered and provided to the Election Office for inclusion in the mobile voting pack. Mobile voting begins from 9am on Tuesday 17th of November, so if you would like your How-to-vote card included for mobile voting, please consider making your appointment in time for it to be registered and provided to the Election Manager ahead of that date. Mobile voting centres will also display a QR code that directs electors to the registered How-to-vote cards on the VEC website. That concludes a deep dive into How-to-vote cards for Legislative Assembly district elections.

Riley: So we’ve got a question here: Do I need to include the printer’s details on my how-to-vote card? It’s a really good point. The Electoral Amendment Act 2026, which was recently passed, removes the requirement for some electoral material to include the printer details. But it’s really important to note that requirement will still apply for how-to-vote cards—so your how-to-vote card absolutely needs to include the name and the place of business of the printer.

Riley: Another question: Does the ballot paper on my how-to-vote card have to be the same colour and font as the real ballot paper? No, not at all. It doesn’t have to match colour and font—it just has to align to the contents of the ballot paper so that it’s not going to mislead or deceive an elector if they copy the instructions from the representation onto the actual ballot paper.

Zara:: Can I hand out how-to-vote cards I printed at home? Yes—you can hand out self-printed how-to-vote cards as long as they’ve been registered, and you include your own details as the printer details on those cards.

Riley: Can I post my how-to-vote card on social media or use it in advertising? Yes, you certainly can—many participants post a digital version. Just remember the same rules apply as if you were handing it out anywhere else. And you shouldn’t publish a how-to-vote card that contains the registration statement “Registered by the Victorian Electoral Commission” unless it has actually passed registration. It also needs to be authorised in the same way any other electoral material would.

Riley: What do I do if I suspect someone is handing out unregistered how-to-vote cards on Election Day? Your first port of call is the voting centre manager or any election official in charge at that voting centre. They have the power to request that a person handing out how-to-vote cards show the cards they’re handing out—and if they’re not properly registered, they can take those how-to-vote cards.

Riley: Can we register or submit a how-to-vote card template well before the nomination draw so we can confirm wording, authorisation, inclusions, etc.? We can’t pre-approve a template. You can send one through and we might be able to provide guidance about any glaring issues, but that is not considered pre-approval. Any cards you submit will still be subject to the full assessment process to check all requirements have been met. You can certainly reach out for assistance from the Candidate Services team, but that will not be considered pre-approval of templates.

Riley: Is there a specific amount of how-to-vote cards that should go to election offices for the mobile voting booths? We might provide a more detailed response in the follow-up, but my understanding is that as long as you’ve got one in the folder, the mobile voting team will be able to show the person voting all of the how-to-vote cards that are in that folder.

Zara: OK—so that’s all we have today. Thank you, everyone, for your questions. As we come to the end of this webinar, here are the key dates once again for registering a how-to-vote card and a reminder: see the Candidate Handbook for guidance and requirements, and carefully check your how-to-vote cards before applying to register. If this briefing has raised any questions that were not covered, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us at any time, or contact your Election Manager from Tuesday the 3rd of November when election offices open.

Riley: Join us for additional deep dives into topics specific to candidates and parties in later webinars—you can view the information session schedule and register on the VEC website. Thank you again for joining us today.

Danielah: That concludes the election overview, there will be some time at the end of the session to answer any questions you may have. Now we will move on to the focus of today’s session: complaints, campaigning and regulation. As we go, remember to use the Q&A function if you have any questions. In this portion of the webinar, we’ll be covering: Electoral campaign material and authorisation requirements, campaigning outside voting centres including visitor registration, complaints and the escalation process; and how the VEC regulates state elections. You can campaign at any time, even before the official start of the election period. There are strict rules governing campaigning activities including authorisation of campaign material distributing material outside voting centres; and voting centre signage limits.

Jacquie: Please keep in mind that all non-electoral laws still apply. For example, defamation laws and local council laws regarding use of public spaces or signage and you must not distribute material that is likely to mislead voters into voting incorrectly.

Danielah: Electoral matter is something that is intended to affect or influence the way someone votes in an election, regardless of whether it makes an express reference to the election or voting. Electoral material must be authorised and includes any of the following: An advertisement that contains electoral matter and is, or is to be, paid for. Printed material that contains electoral matter or material that is produced by or on behalf of a registered political party, candidate or elected member. Paid advertisements and non-printed material may appear digitally or online. Electoral material can take many forms, including a leaflet, flyer, pamphlet, notice or poster; a billboard or sign; a print, digital or online advertisement; a social media post or profile; a website; or some electronic communications, such as email or SMS. Material made expressly for academic, artistic, educational or satirical purposes that is not intended or likely to affect voting in an election is not regulated by the VEC. 

Jacquie: While authorisation requirements apply all the time, proximity to an election isa relevant factor in considering whether material is intended or likely to affect the way someone votes in an election. For example, material distributed within 4 weeks of the issue of the writs would have a much stronger likelihood of influencing voting than material distributed earlier in an election cycle.

Danielah: If you are sharing electoral material, you must ensure it is authorised. Authorisation requirements apply to everyone – not just candidates, political parties and members of Parliament. They exist to enhance electoral transparency and trust by helping the public to know the origins of electoral material and to allow someone to decide for themselves how much they value or trust the electoral material. Electoral material must always be authorised, regardless of whether there is an election occurring. This is particularly relevant for registered political parties and elected members that publish or distribute electoral material more often outside of election cycles. To authorise means to include a person’s name and address on the electoral material. The name and address form an ‘authorisation statement’. The authorising person can be a natural person, a body corporate or a body politic - including a registered political party, company or organisation. 

Jacquie: For electoral material published or distributed online, the authorisation statement must be easy to locate. A website, for example, may contain the authorisation statement as a footer, or be on the ‘About’ page. On social media, posts can be authorised by including an authorisation statement in a post pinned to the top of the author’s social media feed or appearing on the ‘About’ section of the author’s page. Posts can also link to a website which contains an authorisation statement. The full name of the person, body corporate or body politic that authorised the electoral material is required. Please use a name that you are generally known by, which can be easily identified by the public. 

Danielah: You must include a physical address on the authorisation statement, and while it should include your usual address as the authorising person, it does not necessarily need to be your residential address. You can use the address of an office, such as a company or business address, or the address of an election campaign office. An address cannot be a post office box; an email address, domain name, URL or similar; or for a vacant parcel of land at the time of authorisation. As the authorising person, you will need to have ad-hoc access to the address.

Jacquie: In addition to the authorisation requirements, all how-to-vote cards also require the printer’s details included alongside the authorisation statement. The requirement for printer details is now only needed for how-to-vote cards. Authorisation requirements in further details can be found on our website and in the Candidate handbook.

Danielah: Campaigning outside voting centres is a key feature of in-person elections in Victoria, and it’s important for candidates and anyone canvassing near a voting centre to be aware of the rules that apply at early, mobile and election day voting centres. During voting hours, an official VEC sign denoting the designated entrance will be displayed at each voting centre. Sometimes, the VEC might find it necessary to designate a secondary entrance. In the event this is required, the secondary entrance will also be identified with an official ‘designated entrance’ sign. All canvassing and signage rules which apply to the primary designated entrance also applies to the secondary designated entrance. The Electoral Act sets out conduct within certain distances from the entrance of a voting centre during the hours of voting. These can be broken down into the 6-metre rule and 100-metre rule, as well as the 400-metre rule on election day. 

Jacquie: Firstly, the 6-metre rule. During the hours of voting a person must not canvass or campaign within 6metres of a designated entrance to a voting centre. You may not exhibit a notice or sign, and you may not conduct an exit poll within 6 metres of the designated entrance. This includes handing out how-to-vote cards, asking for the vote of an elector, or telling an elector not to vote for a particular candidate or not vote at all. The VEC may reduce this distance for reasons like inclement weather, but any reduction in the 6-metre rule will be signposted. At all other times, the 6-metrerule always applies.

Danielah: Next, the 100-metre rule. Within 100 metres of the designated entrance is the limited sign zone, where strict rules apply to what can be displayed. Mobile billboards are prohibited in the limited sign zone. A mobile billboard is any billboard capable of being displayed while being transported by any means. This includes billboards attached to vehicles such as bicycles or cars, vehicles that are painted or vinyl wrapped, and billboards that can be worn by a person or animal. The only election-related signs that are permitted to be displayed within the limited sign zone during the hours of voting are official signs of the VEC, or signs displayed by a candidate or political party for the election within their permitted allocation.

Each candidate can display up to 2 signs. If you are an independent candidate, you may only have 2 signs in a limited sign zone. Where a registered political party has endorsed 2 or more candidates for the Legislative Council region election, these candidates may have up to 2 signs, in total, among them. Each registered political party may display an additional 2 signs. Any notice or sign must not exceed 600 mm x 900 mm in size. As a candidate, you cannot display signage in a limited sign zone for a voting centre in a Legislative Assembly district or Legislative Council region that you have not nominated for, unless that voting centre has been appointed as a joint voting centre that includes the district or region that you have nominated for. During the hours of voting, election officials are allowed to remove a notice or sign if it does not comply with the requirements.

Jacquie: Finally, the 400-metre rule. On election day during the hours of voting, the only printed electoral material that may be distributed or made available within the 400-metre zone are registered how-to-vote cards. No other printed electoral material may be distributed or made available. Further information on the distribution of electoral material, and specifications on signage, can be found in the most recent Candidate handbook, and the upcoming Campaigner handbook.

Danielah: The VEC has a duty under the Occupational Health and Safety Act to reduce risks as far as reasonably practicable for visitors attending premises that we manage. As part of our risk management approach, the VEC requests that all contractors, campaigners and other visitors voluntarily register their attendance at all early and election day voting centres. Registration is not mandatory and does not apply to VEC staff or voters attending a voting centre for the purpose of voting.

Jacquie: Visitors to any voting centre, excluding voters, will receive a briefing from the voting centre manager that covers entrances and exits for the venue; the 6-metre, 100-metre and 400-metre boundaries and the rules for campaigning; where the emergency evacuation point is located; and a reminder to be respectful and safe around voters, election staff and each other. Visitors who choose to register will be asked to complete a form with their name and the details of emergency contact person. Registration will be requested at each venue they attend each day. 

Danielah: Voting centre managers will aim to engage with campaigners to establish rapport and to encourage cooperation outside voting centres. We ask everyone to help ensure a respectful and safe environment outside and in voting centres so that voters are not obstructed or intimidated. 

Jacquie: The VEC relies on the goodwill of public venues to be used as voting centres. Please remain considerate of these public spaces and ensure that your campaigners are as well.Make sure to be attentive to any local restrictions requested by venue owners and the VEC regarding the placement of personnel, notices or signs to ensure that canvassing does not interfere with any other activities at the venue; ensure workers and materials do not impede or intimidate people moving in and out of the venue, or neighbouring properties; and ensure the complete removal of signs and equipment before leaving the venue at the end of each day. Voting centre managers will request cooperation from all involved in the first instance and may escalate the issue to the election manager if it cannot be resolved. The election managers and officials have the power and authority to request the removal of any person who obstructs the approaches, in other words the pathways and entrances to a voting centre; wilfully or unnecessarily obstructs or delays the proceedings at a voting centre; behaves in a disorderly manner or causes a disturbance. If you or your campaigners encounter poor behaviour at a voting centre, please report it to election officials straight away. You can also report it to our complaints team via our website.

Danielah: For the state election this year, in addition to the managers and election officials the VEC will also have an increased field presence. Compliance officers will monitor behaviour outside voting centres during voting hours. These officers are specially trained election officials who will work to ensure that everyone around a voting centre is complying with their obligations. Their focus will be on generating co-operation consistent with the VEC’s constructive compliance approach and facilitating prompt escalation and referral for more complex matters that cannot be resolved locally. Managing complaints and feedback is an important component of conducting an election.Feedback and complaints must be submitted in writing, either through the submission form or by email or post. Complaints lodged with election managers that require escalation will be forwarded to the VEC head office for consideration and response. Any feedback or complaint made in writing will be reviewed by the VEC and may be referred for investigation.

Jacquie: Please note that if the VEC does refer the matter to another regulator, we will advise you that the matter has been referred and tell you which regulator it has been referred to.

Danielah: The VEC does more than just run elections. We are also the regulator of Victoria’s electoral environment. We’re responsible for regulating electoral participants – voters, candidates and campaigners, registered political parties and others – to safeguard free and fair elections, and ensure transparency in electoral processes. This is critical for delivering elections with integrity and results that can be trusted. We regulate compliance with the rules which apply to various aspects of elections, including enrolment and voting, candidate nominations, political party registration processes, authorisation of electoral campaign material, conduct during election periods, and compulsory voting.

Jacquie: We are the regulator for all participants in state electoral processes, and we assess and investigate compliance with the Electoral Act and may take action on offences we identify in relation to state electoral processes. We also work closely with other regulators, integrity agencies and law enforcement agencies, including Victoria Police. For state elections, we coordinate closely with Victoria Police to ensure information and referrals can be passed on quickly. See the ‘How we regulate’ page of the VEC website for more information.

Danielah: That concludes the deep dive into campaigning, complaints and regulation. If you have any questions, please use the Q&A function now. If you are having trouble with the Q&A function, use the link posted in chat, or email your question to candidateservices@vec.vic.gov.au. For any questions that come through that relate to individual circumstances or are of a technical nature, we will take them on notice and get back to you directly in the coming days. We’ll now go to the questions.

Jacquie: Okay. So, first question I can see relates to authorisation. The question is, what kinds of material don’t need authorisation? Okay, good question. Anything that isn’t considered electoral material doesn’t need to be authorised. And importantly, there are some exemptions in the laws from what’s considered electoral material. I’ll give you some examples of these exemptions. Small car stickers, lapel buttons, badges, clothing, fridge magnets, pens, pencils and balloons, opinion polls or other research relating to voting intentions, personal communications. Internal communications of a party, candidate or member of parliament, images of excluded items unless those images are transformed into electoral material. And as we’ve said earlier, material made for academic, artistic, educational or satirical purposes that’s not intended or likely to affect voting in an election is also not regulated by VEC.

Danielah: The next question also related to electoral material. Can we run electoral material past the VEC to check if it meets the requirements before we distribute it? It’s also a very, very good question. So, the VEC can’t provide legal advice or pre-approve electoral material, but we may be able to answer some questions you have about your electoral material or some of the specific requirements, but you may wish to also seek independent legal advice. And as we’ve said throughout the session, if in doubt, it’s best to add an authorisation statement.

Jacquie: Okay, next question is about how-to-vote cards. Can we hand out how-to-vote cards outside mobile voting centres? Okay, so the answer is yes. A mobile voting centre has a designated entrance just like any other voting centre and you may hand out your how-to-vote cards as long as this is outside the 6-metre zone which we talked about earlier. However, mobile voting teams will carry folders of all registered how-to-vote cards and some mobile voting sites, including all low sensory mobile voting centres, will also display a QR code linking to all registered how-to-vote cards on the VEC website.

Danielah: What about the VEC powers? What kinds of powers does the VEC have to prevent and act on inappropriate conduct? So, election managers and election officials have the powers to request handing over how-to-vote cards which must be complied with. I think we’ve gone through a couple of these, but they can cause someone to be removed from the election venue if they are obstructing entries, hindering proceedings, behaving in a disorderly manner, or disrupting the peace. And they can remove signs being displayed in breach of those signage rules that we went through in detail earlier. And in line with the VEC’s constructive compliance approach, we will educate and guide and resolve where appropriate. However, we can also prosecute breaches of the Act as well.

Jacquie: Just waiting for the next one to come up. Oh, I think we just missed one. Why don’t we go back - there it is, fantastic. Will visitor registration be required for non-campaigners? Well, this might be a bit of a trick question because visitor registration is voluntary for all of the visitors that we’re inviting to register with us. The VEC encourages registration for all visitors other than voters.

Danielah: When can we start campaigning? You can campaign at any time, even before the official start of the election period. But as we’ve gone through, there are strict rules governing campaigning activities, including authorisation of campaign material, distributing material outside voting centres, and voting centre signage limits. The areas that will receive the greatest attention, as you can probably expect, are outside voting centres during the hours of voting.

Jacquie: Okay, next question is also about campaigning. Is it considered campaigning if you’re not doing it in the vicinity of a voting centre? So, if for example if you are campaigning at a shopping centre. Well yes, campaigning can of course take place anywhere but as Daniela was talking about there are some offenses under electoral legislation that are specific to being in the vicinity of the voting centre when campaigning. Those offences relate to signage. Other offenses can apply more broadly even when you’re not in the vicinity of the voting centre regardless of location such as those related to misleading and deceptive material for example.

Danielah: If we get How-to-vote cards registered by the VEC, can copies of it be distributed at early voting centres? Can copies of it distributed at early voting centres include the registered by line? Yes, it can. If it has been registered, it can include it.

Jacquie: Great. Next question is, how early is candidate helper available prior to the election? Great, good question. I’m glad you’re interested in candidate helper. It’s a really important resource. So, fantastic that you’re showing an interest. Candidate helper is available for independent candidates from Wednesday the 21st of October, which is two weeks before nominations open. Just a reminder while we’re talking about Candidate Helper, it’s a fantastic resource to help you complete the nomination form, but you still need to attend your appointment to lodge the nomination form. Isn’t that right, Daniela? Yep. Just waiting for the next question to come up. There’s another question about timing of campaign material. I think we answered that one before. When can we start letter boxing of campaign material before nominations? I don’t think we restrict that, do we, Danielah?

Danielah: No, you can campaign anytime, that includes letter boxing.

Jacquie: Let’s have a look what else we’ve got here. Are visitor registration forms available for download and filled prior to arriving at polling centre? We’ll be providing more details closer to the election on how the visitor registration process will work, including how to access forms. Just waiting to see if there’s any more questions. None so far

Danielah: You can pop them in, use the Q&A function.

Jacquie: But of course, if you haven’t got any more right now, that’s no problem at all because as we mentioned at the beginning of the session, you can also send them through to us, right, to answer at another time. No further questions.

Danielah: No further questions. Thank you everyone. Thank you for your questions. Great questions that came through. That concludes today’s information session. Here are the key dates on screen once more for you all. Remember to make sure you’re familiar with the rules before you begin campaigning. Download the candidate handbook from our website for more information. If this briefing has raised any questions that were not covered, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us anytime or contact your election manager from Tuesday the 3rd of November when election offices open.

Jacquie: Join us for additional deep dives into topics specific to candidates and parties at the election at later webinars. You can view the information session schedule, and you can register on the VEC website. And thanks again for joining us today.