Briefing Session for Intending Candidates

1. Briefing Session for Intending Candidates November 2014 Council Elections

2. Topics include • the election timetable • who is eligible to be a candidate • nomination procedures • the publication of electoral material, • illegal practices and complaints

3. Other Topics • the mail-out and return of voting material • the appointment of scrutineers • arrangements for the scrutiny and count • the vote counting system • results and candidate returns

4. Election Timetable • roll close • Friday 8 August 2014 • nominations period • Tuesday 2 September – noon, Tuesday 16 September 2014 • mail-out of voting material • Monday 20 - Friday 24 October 2014 • close of voting • Friday 5pm 7 November 2014 • scrutiny and count • from 9am Saturday 8 November 2014

5. Who can nominate? • Australian citizen or • anyone on council between 5 May 1997 and 1 January 2000 • and are • an elector for the area or • designated person of a body corporate or group named on council voters roll or • person or designated person of body corporate or group whose name omitted from roll in error • Page 10 of the Candidate Handbook

6. Who cannot nominate? • a member of an Australian Parliament • a member of council staff • an undischarged bankrupt or person benefiting from insolvent debtor legislation • a person sentenced to imprisonment and is likely to serve the sentence or remainder of the sentence • Page 10 of the Candidate Handbook

7. Nominations • close 12 noon 16 September 2014 • 3 different nomination forms • LG 3 for an elector in their own right • LG 4 for the designated person of a body corporate • LG 5 for the designated person of a group

8. Allow time for confirmation of nomination • allow time to lodge the nomination • if the nomination is unsatisfactory at the close of nominations, it will be invalid • opportunities for corrections and amendments can be given only until nominations close

9. Profiles • compulsory, must lodge at same time as nomination form • must be signed and dated • 150 words maximum • include contact details for the candidate – either a street address (not a post office box unless accompanied with), an email address or a phone number • Page 13 of the Candidate Handbook

10. Profiles (cont’d) • contain the statement – I take responsibility for the content of the profile • cannot be inaccurate or misleading • lodge written consent if reference to another candidate • no dot points, underlining, capitals, different fonts

11. Photographs • optional – black and white or colour • head and shoulders only • taken in last 12 months • endorsed by candidate on the back • photos in electronic format will not be accepted • Page 15 of the Candidate Handbook

12. Following nominations close • draw for position of names on ballot paper – 4pm on the day nomination close • letter to candidates advising of results of draw • confirmation of dates for mail-out and scrutiny and count • legislative framework relating to election material, illegal practices and campaign returns • scrutineer authority forms and campaign donations return • Page 17 of the Candidate Handbook

13. Publication of Candidate Statements • LGA have enabled candidates to publish a hyperlink to an external webpage or site about yourself and your candidacy • Information relating to this will be included in nomination kit • Candidates have 7 days to submit their website address • 12 noon, Tuesday 23 September • Candidate Statement – Instruction to candidates • contained within Nomination Kit

14. Information from council to assist with campaigning • information on the council area and activities, services, issues • election signage provisions • voters roll (not electronic) • Page 18 of the Candidate Handbook

15. Electoral material – key points • must contain name, address of: • person authorising material • printer/producer • cannot be inaccurate/misleading • consider mail-out of voting packs 20 October to 24 October, when campaigning • candidate’s responsibility to ensure material complies with law • Page 18 of the Candidate Handbook

16. Illegal practices • bribery, intimidation, violence • candidate/scrutineer assisting a person to vote or obtain voting papers • disclosing how another person has voted • dishonestly influencing/trying to influence the result of an election or poll • exercising a vote to which you are not entitled • opening an envelope containing a vote (unless you are an electoral official). • Page 18 of the Candidate Handbook

17. Complaints from candidates • must be in writing and addressed to the returning officer • provide copies of alleged offending material, details of locations where notices are fixed • will be recorded as received and notification of the receipt of complaint will be issued • complaints will be examined during the election period • handled according to complaints protocol • Page 20 of the Candidate Handbook

18. Mail-out of voting packs • voting packs mail-out Monday 20 October to Friday 24 October containing: • postal voting guide • ballot paper/s • candidate profile brochure • ballot paper envelope containing a declaration flap for elector to sign • reply paid envelope • Page 22 of the Candidate Handbook

19. Return of voting material • close of voting – 5pm, Friday 7 November 2014 • returned material is processed daily • ballot paper envelope must be signed • material delivered personally to the council will be stored in ballot boxes

20. Scrutineers • candidates cannot observe election proceedings, must authorise a scrutineer by completing a scrutineer form (four copies will be forwarded after close of nominations) • scrutineers can observe the processing of returned voting material and the scrutiny and count of ballot papers • scrutineers cannot assist an elector, obtain voting material for another person or touch ballot papers • Page 23 of the Candidate Handbook

21. Scrutineers (cont’d) • no more than 2 scrutineers per candidate at the same time • address queries to officer in charge, observe scrutineering protocol • illegal offences apply to both candidates AND scrutineers.

22. Scrutiny • voting closes 5pm Friday 7 November 2014 • scrutiny commences at 9am Saturday 8 November 2014 • candidates will be advised of location and time • declaration flap removed before envelope opened to ensure vote secrecy • process – remove declaration flaps from ballot paper envelopes and extract ballot papers before commencing count • Page 25 of the Candidate Handbook

23. Counts • Saturday 8 November 2014 • - commence with mayoral count, then continue with councillor counts • 9 am Sunday 9 November 2014- resume counting to finalise any incomplete counts • all counts to 1st preferences will be conducted locally • complex counts will be transferred to a central processing centre (CPC)

24. Voting • preferential vote – must mark preferences on the ballot paper for at least the number of candidates to be elected • eg • mayoral election, must mark at least 1 preference on the ballot paper • 3 vacancies, must mark at 1, 2 and 3 • Page 25 of the Candidate Handbook

25. Vote Counting • votes are counted using the proportional representation (PR) system • in most instances a candidate must obtain a quota of votes to be elected

26. Quota from: • 1st preference votes or • combination of 1st preference votes and votes transferred from either elected or excluded candidate/s • final vacancy, 2 candidates remaining in count, neither with quota – candidate with largest number of votes is elected

27. Explanation of the voting system • Refer – Candidate Handbook Page 29 • Visit – www.ecsa.sa.gov.au/flash.htm • ‘how your vote counts’ • Read – ‘Proportional Representation (PR) • Count Processes and Examples on the ECSA website

28. Conclusion of election • provisional declaration following conclusion of each election • 72 hours for request for a recount • results? Visit www.lga.sa.gov.au/electionresults • ECSA will forward a letter to each candidate to advise election results

29. Queries and Questions • Queries after this meeting? • Check the Candidate Handbook • Look at the ‘Profile and Photograph Requirements’ brochure • Read the Legislative Framework relating to Illegal practices sent after nominations close • Contact the ECSA Deputy Returning Officer • Questions ?