Register a political party

A registered political party is one that has demonstrated to us that it has at least 500 members.

Why register a party?

A registered political party:

• can have the party's name printed on State election ballot papers next to the names of the party's endorsed candidates
• can nominate all its candidates and register how-to-vote cards centrally, rather than individually with election managers
• is entitled to public funding based on the number of votes it receives at a State election
• is entitled to access enrolment information, not including phone numbers or email address, which it can use for permitted purposes.

An unregistered party can still participate at elections but will not be entitled to the above.

How to register a party

To register a party, you must make an application in writing.

Your application must include:

• the name and address of the proposed Registered Officer
• a copy of the party’s constitution
• a statutory declaration about the number of eligible members
• a list of the names and addresses of at least 500 members
• an application fee of $764.50 as at 1 July 2022 (50 fee units).

Information about party members

The list of 500 members you submit must be people who:

• are enrolled to vote in Victoria
• are members in accordance to the rules of your party
• are not members of another registered party
• are not members of another party applying for registration.

Registration process

Once we receive all the required information, we check the list of members to verify membership. We also advertise the application to ensure there are no objections to the party being registered.

This process can take up to 4 months.

Applications to register a political party cannot be made within 120 days of a State election.

Any applications in progress at the issue of the writ will be suspended until after the election has been completed.

A political party that is refused registration may not re-apply for registration within 6 months of the refusal.

Re-registering a political party

Political parties are required to re-register once during the term of each Parliament.

To re-register, parties need to follow the same requirements as for registration. Our assessment process is also the same.

Deregistration

A political party can be deregistered for any of the following reasons:

• the party sends a request in writing to us
• the party has not endorsed at least one candidate for an election held within the last 5 years
• the party does not comply with a request for information
• the party no longer exists
• the party does not have at least 500 members
• registration was obtained by fraud or misrepresentation.

Review of decisions

The Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) can review our decisions on:

• registration
• refusal of registration
• cancellation of a registration
• amendment of registration.

Any person or party affected by the decision may apply for a review in writing to VCAT within 28 days of the decision.

During an election held under the Electoral Act 2002, VCAT is prevented from reviewing a decision or making any orders in respect to a review. This 'blockout' period for VCAT begins on the day the writ for the election is issued and ends on the day the writ is returned.

Privacy and political party registration

We are required to publish a Register of Political Parties that includes:

• the name, postal address and logo (if applicable) of each party
• the name and address of each party’s Registered Officer.

View currently registered political parties.

For more details, see Privacy at the Victorian Electoral Commission.

More information

For more information or to apply for registration, email Candidate and Registered Political Party Services team