The State government has amended the Electoral Act 1907, bringing in reforms to financial disclosure and other aspects of the electoral process.
The changes aim to:
- Modernise electoral processes
- Improve transparency in political donations
- Strengthen financial disclosure
- Reduce misinformation and disinformation
- Modernise language and terminology
The amendments focus on three areas:
- Political finance
- Electoral material
- Modernisation of the Act
Political finance
The amendments to the Electoral Act 1907 include a range of changes related to party expenditure, funding disclosure, foreign donation, increased penalties and other aspects of political finance.
The key amendments are:
- Introduction of expenditure caps for political parties, groups, candidates and third party campaigners for money spent on election campaigning.
- More timely public disclosure of donations.
- Ban on foreign donations.
- Political participants to establish a State campaign account for all electoral expenditure.
- An increase in electoral funding reimbursement for those eligible.
Learn more about the Electoral Act amendments relating to finance.
Electoral material
Amendments have been made to the way electoral material, such as How to Vote cards are managed. These changes aim to strengthen transparency and reduce misinformation and disinformation.
The key amendments are:
- How To Vote cards must be approved by the Electoral Commissioner and published on the WA Electoral Commission website, elections.wa.gov.au.
- Penalty for distributing an unregistered How To Vote card is imprisonment for two years and a fine of $24,000.
- Political Parties will not be allowed to process postal voting application forms.
Learn more about the Electoral Act amendments relating to electoral material.
Modernisation of the Act
Many of the amendments are designed to update and modernise the Electoral Act so that it remains fit for purpose, now and into the future.
Key amendments include:
- Adjusting procedures, activities and physical environments to promote community inclusivity (eg initiatives to support enrolment and voter participation of all eligible Western Australians).
- Updates to language to remove old-fashioned terms, reflect community inclusivity (eg gender neutral terms) and clearer definition of many terms.
- The fine for not voting has been increased from $20 to $50 for a first offence and from $50 to $75 for a second offence.
- People can enrol to vote from age 16 years. However, they can’t vote until they turn 18.
- Allowing electronic payments for candidate nomination fees.
Learn more about the Electoral Act amendments.
Further information
See here for further details of amendments to the Electoral Act.