NEW laws have been released under the Electoral Amendment Act 2026, impacting parties and people applying for parties in the upcoming election.
An earlier deadline for party registration and updates to election material authorisation are part of multiple changes made by the Victorian Parliament.
Political parties intending to apply for registrations in time for this year’s state election must apply by Monday, June 1, which was initially another 60 days later.
The new laws will also bring changes to election materials, which will now need authorisation statements.
This will include a line that states the name and address of the person responsible for the materials.
The change is set to help voters understand where the material is from and which political party it might be responsible for.
Other small changes include an earlier close of roll, which is now 8pm. As well as a fixed 10-day period in which early voting centres can operate before election day.
Electoral commissioner Sven Bluemmel said the Victorian Electoral Commission was focused on delivering the changes effectively ahead of the November state election.
‘It’s important for everyone to understand how these new laws apply to you, especially if you are planning to update or apply for political party registration or stand as a candidate in the 2026 state election,’ Mr Bluemmel said.
The new laws also include changes to the party name and logos that the VEC must refuse. This includes that the VEC cannot register a name that has been used by a registered party in the past 10 years; a name that resembles a name of a party in use in the past 10 years, or a name or logo that suggests a connection or relationship between the party and another party that has been registered in the past 10 years.
All changes are listed on the VEC’s website.
