Campaigning
Campaigning
You can campaign at any time, even before the official start of a State or local council election period.
When campaigning, consider the following:
- All campaign material must be properly authorised so it is clear who is accountable for it. An authorisation statement must include a name and a street address. Campaign material includes advertising, social media accounts and websites.
- All non-electoral laws, such as those relating to defamation, still apply.
- You must not distribute material that is likely to mislead voters into voting incorrectly.
- Disclosure of political donations rules apply in Victorian State elections.
How-to-vote cards
During an election, anyone can register a how-to-vote card. How-to-vote cards must represent formal votes (a correctly completed ballot paper).
Depending on the election, there are rules for when and where you can hand out how-to-vote cards.
State elections
During the hours of voting on election day, only registered how-to-vote cards may be handed out within 400 metres of voting centres.
How-to-vote cards distributed during the early voting period do not have to be registered but must be authorised. How-to-vote cards carried by mobile voting teams must be registered.
Local council attendance elections
During the hours of voting, only registered how-to-vote cards may be handed out within 400 metres of a voting centre on election day or at an early voting centre during the early voting period.
More information
For more information about your responsibilities you can:
- read our candidate handbooks
- read about Victoria's political donations laws
- read relevant legislation, such as the Electoral Act 2002 or Local Government Act 2020
- seek independent legal advice.