Political Signage rules

Strict rules governing political signage will be enforced.

Candidates reminded to comply with electoral material guidelines and to comply with rules around the display of political signage.

Council officers will undertake a program of compliance and monitoring to ensure all posters and signage containing electoral material comply with the State Environmental Planning Policy (Exempt and Complying Development Codes) 2008 Division 2, Subdivision 13 - Election signs.

As part of these regulations, election signs must be no more than 0.8 square metres in area.

No signs are allowed to be displayed on Council's road reserves, either free-standing pole signs or those affixed to trees or street furniture. Signage is also not allowed to be displayed on a trailer parked on a road or road-related areas.

Election signs can be affixed to private telegraph poles, however the owner needs to be certain the pole is not owned by an electricity provider as legal action has occurred elsewhere in NSW.

Council officers will remove signs from public property if they are not standard-sized corflute with appropriate content, or if they are in a dangerous location. All signage connected to power poles will be reported to Essential Energy for their attention and action.

Signs can be attached to the walls of houses or commercial buildings, provided they adhere to size limitations in State regulations and are not attached to heritage or draft heritage items.

Signs that do not comply with the above rules may be impounded by Council officers and will attract a Council fee for retrieval. Any signs remaining one week after the election will be removed and impounded.

NSW Electoral Signage Guidelines

Display of Posters

During the regulated period for a local government election, the NSW Electoral Commission enforces specific rules regarding the display of electoral signs and posters:

Content Compliance:

  • Posters must not contain incorrect or misleading information about voting.
  • They must include the name and address of the person authorising the material.

Location Restrictions:

  • Posters are prohibited in certain locations, such as within 6 metres of voting venues or on certain premises.

A person must not, during the regulated election period, publicly display or permit the display of any electoral material that violates these regulations.

Prohibited Display Locations Include:

  • Premises occupied, used, or managed by the Crown or a NSW Government agency.
  • Any council or county council premises.
  • Any other premises unless the poster is displayed with the written permission of the premises' owner.

"Premises" covers any structure or building, so attaching posters to utility poles without consent is against the law.

Exceptions:

  • Posters may be displayed on the outer walls, fences, or boundaries of voting venues.
  • They may be displayed within the grounds of such enclosures.
  • Posters can be displayed on vehicles in public areas.
  • They may be attached to tables or stalls in public places on the day of voting.

 

Poster Size and Display Period

The NSW Electoral Commission does not regulate the size of posters or their display period. However, other laws may apply:

  • Posters must not exceed 0.8m² in area.
  • Display periods include:
    • The 8 weeks leading up to election day.
    • Election day itself.
    • The week immediately following election day.

These regulations ensure that electoral signage is displayed appropriately and does not mislead or obstruct the voting process.

Electoral material 

The NSW Electoral Commission may provide guidance on whether electoral material (how-to-vote cards, posters, social media posts) complies with electoral laws, but it does not provide legal advice. Electoral participants should seek their own legal advice before producing their electoral material if they have any concerns about its legality.

Visit the NSW Electoral Commission website for more detailed information.

 

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