This page has been moved. If you are not automatically redirected to the new site please click here. Show Your campaign strategy and how to get adviceAfter nominating for the local government election, you are expected to conduct your campaign in a way that maintains the public's trust and confidence in the democratic election process. You are expected to adhere to the principles of section 4 of the Local Government Act 2009. Whether you are running as an independent, with a group or a political party, you will need to develop a campaign strategy to:
Dealing with the mediaDealing with the media and promoting your candidature are important aspects of your campaign. This may include, for example:
In promoting your candidature, it is important that you comply with the local government's local laws on advertising and signage for elections. For more information check with your local government about their local laws on advertising. How-to-vote cardsYou should make sure that your how-to-vote cards:
For more detailed information and advice on how-to-vote cards check with the Electoral Commission of Queensland. Your campaign bank account, funds and giftsKeep your campaign funds separateYou, like all candidates, must operate an account with a financial institution to keep your election funding and costs separate from your other financial activities. You must open a separate bank account for this purpose. All the donation amounts you receive for the purposes of your electoral campaign, and all amounts you receive as loans, must be deposited into this account. All payments you make during your election campaign, relating to the election, must be paid out of your campaign account. You, or your group of candidates, must take all reasonable steps to comply with the requirements of the campaign account. Following the election, if money still remains in your campaign account you are allowed to keep that money to be used in future election campaigns. However, if you do not intend to use the money in a future election campaigns you must do one of the following two things:
There are penalties for not complying with sections 126–127 of the Local Government Electoral Act 2011, which outline the requirements for candidates to operate a dedicated account. It is recommended you obtain legal advice when you set up your accounts and records to make sure you are fully aware of all the details of your responsibilities. Disclose your election giftsWin or lose, you must disclose all your election gifts and donations. During the election campaign it is important to maintain a record of who is:
The Electoral Commission of Queensland is required to maintain a real time election gift register on its website for candidates of State and local government elections. You (the candidate or your group of candidates), donors and third parties must disclose election gifts and loans worth more than $500 by providing a completed disclosure return form to the Electoral Commission of Queensland. The disclosure date for a return for a gift or loan received by a candidate is either:
The 'relevant period' for a candidate means the period starting on the day the candidate’s 'disclosure period' for the election starts and ending on the day before the candidate becomes a candidate in the election. This would apply, for example, where a former candidate (i.e. in an election within the previous five years) receives a gift or loan before the day their nomination for an election is certified by the returning officer; or a new candidate receives a gift or loan after announcing their candidature but before their nomination is certified by the returning officer. The disclosure period for all candidates is specified in part 6, division 2 of the Local Government Electoral Act 2011. In addition, following the election a candidate is required within 15 weeks after polling day to give the Electoral Commissioner of Queensland a final electoral gift return of:
The disclosure date for a return for a gift or loan received by a group of candidates is either:
The 'relevant period' for the group means the period starting on the day the group’s 'disclosure period' for the election starts and ending on the day before the group gives a record of the membership of the group to the returning officer under section 41(2) of the Local Government Electoral Act 2011. In addition, following the election a group of candidates is required within 15 weeks after polling day to give the Electoral Commissioner of Queensland a final electoral gift return of:
The disclosure date for a return for a gift received by a third party to enable expenditure for a political activity is the seventh business day after the gift is applied to the political activity. The disclosure date for a return for expenditure for a political activity incurred by a third party is the seventh business day after the expenditure is incurred. The Electoral Commission of Queensland provides detailed information and advice on these disclosure periods and the requirements for completion of returns. For more information on the disclosure of election gift requirements, please visit the Electoral Commission of Queensland and refer to its Electoral Funding and Financial Disclosure (Local Government) Handbook and disclosure forms. Ban on political donations from property developersThe Local Government Electoral Act 2011 prohibits political donations from property developers and any industry representative organisation whose members are mainly property developers (or others on their behalf) to sitting councillors, candidates, political parties, groups of candidates and third parties to local government elections. Soliciting other persons by prohibited donors (or others on their behalf) to make political donations is also prohibited. The ban applies to prohibited political donations received on or after 12 October 2017. If you accept a prohibited political donation you may guilty of an offence which carries a maximum penalty of 400 penalty units or two years imprisonment. The State also has powers to recover the amount of any prohibited donations recipients. More significant penalties apply if a person participates directly or indirectly in a scheme to circumvent prohibition on political donations from property developers. Such an offence carries a maximum penalty of 1,500 penalty units or 10 years imprisonment. The Local Government Electoral Act 2011 provides further details about entities captured as a prohibited donor under the legislation and obligations on those that may receive a prohibited donation. Refund of your nomination depositAs soon as practicable after the election, your nomination deposit may be refunded. However not every candidate will have their deposit refunded. To receive the refund you must:
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Last updated: 14 Oct 2022
Electoral campaigns are the competitive efforts by candidates and political parties to win voter support in the period preceding an election. Candidates use a variety of techniques to reach the voters, from public appearances and rallies to the use of mass media advertising. Campaigning for public office is usually done for a longer period of time than the 'official' campaign period specified in the electoral calendar, when candidates may receive special treatment, usually in the form of access to public media or public funds for campaign purposes. Campaigns in today's media age can cost enormous sums of money, raising integrity issues over the raising and spending of money and whether elections are won by the candidates who spend the most money. These issues are discussed in Campaign Financing. In the campaign, candidates work to get their messages out and to encourage voters to turn out and vote for them or their party. There are several campaign issues that can affect the freeness and fairness of the election. These include the timing of the campaign, ability to campaign freely, the neutrality of electoral officials during the campaign, security for participants, and Access to Media. Because of these integrity issues, most systems regulate certain aspects of the campaign process. However, a few systems, such as Denmark, only set guidelines for equal access to the media and have not set any rules to limit the amount of money or time that may be spent on electoral campaigns. 165 Timing The electoral calendar sets the dates for the 'official' campaign. This is usually the month or so before voting day. Actual campaigning for office can start much earlier, but candidate benefits, such as public funding, are usually only available during the official campaign period. The length of the campaign can affect the ability of the parties and candidates to get their messages out. Short campaign periods tend to benefit established parties and political incumbents who are already known by voters. Longer campaign periods gives lesser known parties and candidates more time to prepare and to inform the electorate on their platforms and positions, but it also requires more resources to sustain a campaign over the longer period of time. Longer campaigns can also negatively affect voter turnout as voters may tire of the never ending electoral campaigning. This is particularly true in the U.S., where active campaigning for a political party's nomination for president can start more than two years before the actual presidential election. Freedom to Campaign The ability to freely participate in the electoral campaign is a key election integrity issue. Candidates must be able to circulate freely among their supporters and publicize their political platforms. Voters must be able to attend rallies, and other political events, without interference and without fear. They must also have free access to political information so they can make an informed choice when voting. A free and fair campaign is dependent on the freedoms of speech, press, assembly and association. The right to freely associate for political purposes is a basic integrity requirement. Voters must be able to gather to discuss candidates and issues. Political parties must be able to meet and plan their electoral campaigns with their supporters. The right of association is usually not restricted except for meetings organized to accomplish illegal purposes, such as promoting public disorder to disrupt or manipulate the process. Freedom to campaign also means freedom of movement. Candidates must be able to campaign anywhere in the country. In countries with security problems, this can be a law enforcement issue. However, arbitrary restrictions on the movements of candidates and their supporters which could interfere with their lawful ability to campaign should be avoided. Free and fair circulation of election information The free circulation of information is another basic integrity issue. The press must have the ability to publish and disseminate information without censorship or manipulation of their coverage. Press that abuses its rights by publishing slanderous or false information should be held accountable for its wrongdoings. In most countries, this is done in a court of law, after the wrongdoing has been done. Protecting the free flow of information is the responsibility of the government. It can pass laws protecting the freedom of expression, make special efforts to investigate threats towards the media and bring those responsible to justice. A free press does not feel intimidated when covering an election campaign nor does it have to exercise self censorship out of fear. The government and the public broadcasting system can set standards to help ensure a free and fair circulation of information. As stated by Article 19:
Election campaign broadcasting standards must address such serious human rights abuses as part of an effort to secure the broadcast media's role in promoting transition to democracy. The government's failure to protect the media or to hold accountable those responsible for such abuses undermines the potential for free and fair elections.166 In the campaign period, the public broadcasting system has a responsibility to ensure that they provide an equitable and fair coverage of the process. Article 19, an NGO focussed on ensuring the freedom of expression, has developed guidelines for broadcast coverage of election campaigns in transitional democracies. These guidelines include:
Another integrity issue is the amount of money it takes to disseminate information. In developed countries, campaigns have increasingly centered around the use of television advertisements. The cost of these advertisements has inflated the cost of election campaigns to the point where, in some countries, only wealthy individuals or those with financial support from major interest groups, can compete and win a national or state office. Each system addresses the equity issues stemming from the costs of political advertisements in different ways. In countries such as Denmark, advertisements by political parties are not allowed on national and regional radio and TV channels. 168 In South Africa, printed material intended to influence the outcome of an election, must be labelled clearly with the full name and address of the printer and publisher. And the publisher of any publication must start the article with the word 'advertisement.' 169 In Ireland, free postage is provided for candidates for a letter to every registered voter. 170 Other systems provide public funds for campaign purposes. For more on these issues see Public Funding of Campaigns. Quality of campaigning The quality of a political campaign becomes an issue if the campaign resorts to unethical tactics to discredit other candidates or to disrupt the process. The content and quality of TV advertisements have become issues many countries. The NGO Alliance for Better Campaigns, states: 'political campaigns set the tone for the most important relationship in any democracy- the one between citizens and leaders. Especially in an individual political culture such as ours, it is the campaign itself that must draw citizens into the public square. Our campaigns drive them away.' 171 Some public interests groups (see NonGovernmental Organizations) are working to improve the quality of election campaigns, and to encourage the media to carry more substantive candidate debates. Neutrality of election officials Election campaigns are designed to be noisy, public events that use patriotic and other symbols to get voter support. It can be difficult for an election manager to remain neutral during the campaign period. However, the administrators of the elections have to remain nonpartisan and impartial in the delivery of their services and in the fulfilment of their responsibilities. Their office, resources or positions should not be used to help the campaign of any party or candidate or to attempt to influence the outcome of the vote. (For more on neutrality of electoral managers see Fair Process and Ethical Behaviour.) This restriction is usually also applied to government officials and resources. To ensure a fair playing field, government resources, position and influence are not used to help any candidate. Officials are supposed to remain neutral in their official capacity during the process. In some countries, governments limit their pre-election activities so that their actions cannot be perceived as support for any one candidate or party. For example, before an election the Philippines prohibits the appointment or hiring of new employees; the creation or filling of new positions; promotions or salary increases or privileges; releasing public funds for public works; new social services or construction of public works; delivery of materials for public works and issuance of treasury warrants.172 The distinction between public official and party partisan interests by elected government officials can be difficult to maintain. For example, in the U.S., the President of the United States is considered the leading member of his political party and is expected to actively campaign for his party's candidates. However, this is supposed to be done within the context of his party affiliation, not in his official capacity as President. He is also not supposed to use the resources of his office to help promote the campaign of anyone. Public Opinion Polling Public opinion polling is used by the political parties, candidates and media to measure voter support for particular candidates, parties and positions. Polling is used to target campaigns and to develop voter messages. In most systems, polling is allowed without political interference or unreasonable restrictions. When polling results are made public, the methodology of the polls are also provided so that users can judge the accurateness of the polling. This usually includes the margin of error, sample size, and demographics of the respondents (age, location, gender, occupation, etc.). The timing for the release of a public opinion poll can be an integrity issue because, depending upon when a poll is released, it can affect the election outcome. Poll results can influence undecided voters and build momentum for candidates or positions. A voter can think the election is already decided so why vote, or why vote against majority thinking. In countries with a large number of time zones, the winner of a presidential election can be predicted before the polling opens in some regions. This can negatively effect turnout, and the voting choices of the last areas to vote. For example, this was an issue in the 2000 U.S. elections for president, where the American media announced the winner of the state of Florida before polls were closed in the midwest and west. Because of the electoral college system, a win in Florida was critical to winning the electoral college vote. In addition, their projections were inaccurate and they later changed their projection to 'too close to call', but this was only minutes before the polls closed in the west. To address these issues, some systems prohibit the release of polls at sensitive times- usually right before or during polling, and some systems prohibit the release of exit polls until the end of polling. These regulations range from Mexico, where it is a criminal offense to release a poll predicting an election winner from eight days before the election until after the polls have closed, 173 to South Africa, where no exit poll may be published until the polls are closed, to Denmark, where there are no restrictions on polling or the releasing of results. Security The ability to campaign in an atmosphere free of fear and intimidation is another essential component of a free and fair election. Candidates need to be able to move freely to meet the voters without fear for their own physical safety, or those of their supporters. Voters need to be able to circulate and attend campaign rallies without fear. Monitors, observers and the press need to be able to cover the process and to publish their reports without fear of intimidation or retribution. The security environment affects the elections results. According to John Sanderson and Michael Maley, 'If opposition party activity is suppressed by a climate of fear- if opposition parties are unable to recruit, organize, establish offices and engage in dialogue with the voters, or are only able to do those things in a limited period or in certain parts of the country- then the inevitable consequence is an electoral environment biassed in favour of the ruling group, a consequence of which is likely to be fewer votes for the opposition.' 174 Security concerns are present in many countries. In December 1999, the Sri Lankan President was hurt during a suicide bomb attack at a campaign rally. Fourteen people were killed and more than 105 injured. The same day, a second bomb blast killed another seven and injured 40 at a rally for the main opposition party.175 Ensuring an electoral climate where voters feel free to vote, is an important integrity issue. If voters are intimidated during the pre-election run up, if may affect their voting behaviour on election day. As explained by John Sanderson and Michael Maley:
When individuals, authorities or political parties wish to manipulate an election result, it is not necessary for them to coerce or intimidate every voter, or improperly influence events at every polling station. Indeed, at an internationally observed election, it would be counter-productive to do so, since what had been done would become obvious and could attract the displeasure of the international community. They merely have to influence enough voters to affect the result.176 For more information on election security see Security. |
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