{"id":"electoral-regulations-2004","name":"ELECTORAL REGULATIONS 2004","slug":"electoral-regulations-2004","collection":"regulation","jurisdiction":"nt","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":176779,"registerId":"nt-electoral-regulations-2004-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-05","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"ELECTORAL REGULATIONS 2004","content":"NORTHERN TERRITORY OF AUSTRALIA\nELECTORAL REGULATIONS 2004\nAs in force at 1 January 2020\nTable of provisions\n1 Citation ............................................................................................ 1\n2 Prescribed amount for infringement offence .................................... 1\n3 Requirements of nominee's photograph for nomination .................. 1\n3A Nomination deposit .......................................................................... 2\n4 Form of ballot paper ........................................................................ 2\n5 Prescribed details for certain registers ............................................ 2\nSchedule\nENDNOTES\n\n\n\nNORTHERN TERRITORY OF AUSTRALIA\n____________________\nAs in force at 1 January 2020\n____________________\nELECTORAL REGULATIONS 2004\nRegulations under the Electoral Act 2004\n1 Citation\nThese Regulations may be cited as the Electoral Regulations 2004.\n2 Prescribed amount for infringement offence\nFor the definition prescribed amount in section 3 of the Act, the\nprescribed amount for an offence against:\n(a) section 175P(2) or (3) of the Act is 0.5 penalty units; or\n(b) section 215(1), (2) or (2A) of the Act is:\n(i) for an individual – 10 penalty units; or\n(ii) for a body corporate – 50 penalty units; or\n(c) section 279(1) of the Act is $25.\n3 Requirements of nominee's photograph for nomination\n(1) For section 32(1)(f) of the Act, a photograph of a nominee must:\n(a) be a black and white, full faced vertical portrait of the\nnominee's head and shoulders;\n(b) have been taken within 6 months before lodgment of the\nnominee's nomination; and\n(c) have endorsed on the reverse side the nominee's full name\nand a statement signed by the nominee certifying that the\nphotograph was taken within the period mentioned in\nparagraph (b).\n(2) However, the Electoral Commission may accept a photograph of a\nnominee that does not comply with subregulation (1) if the\nCommission is satisfied the nominee is readily recognisable in the\nphotograph.\n\nElectoral Regulations 2004 2\n3A Nomination deposit\nFor section 32(1)(g) of the Act:\n(a) the nomination deposit is $500; and\n(b) the manner of payment of the nomination deposit is a single\npayment of the full nomination deposit; and\n(c) the payment method is:\n(i) by electronic transfer from an ADI to an account\nspecified by the Commission; or\n(ii) in cash.\n4 Form of ballot paper\nFor section 40(1) of the Act, a ballot paper must be in Form 1 in the\nSchedule.\n5 Prescribed details for certain registers\n(1) For section 175L(2) of the Act, the register of associated entities\nmust include the following information in respect of each associated\nentity:\n(a) the full name of the entity;\n(b) the address of the entity;\n(c) name of registered party with which the entity is associated;\n(d) the date of registration of the entity.\n(2) For section 175M(2) of the Act, the register of third party\ncampaigners must include the following information in respect of\neach third party campaigner:\n(a) the full name of the campaigner;\n(b) the address of the campaigner;\n(c) the date of registration of the campaigner.\n\nSchedule\nElectoral Regulations 2004 3\nSchedule\nFORM 1\nRegulation 4\nNORTHERN TERRITORY OF AUSTRALIA\nElectoral Act 2004\nBALLOT PAPER\nELECTION OF ONE MEMBER OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY FOR\nTHE DIVISION OF [name of division]\nNumber the boxes 1 to [number of candidates] in the order of your choice.\nRemember, number every box to make your vote count.\nCANDIDATES\nphotograph of candidate [name of candidate]\n[name of registered party endorsing\ncandidate or \"Independent\" if\nappropriate]\nphotograph of candidate [name of candidate]\n[name of registered party endorsing\ncandidate or \"Independent\" if\nappropriate]\nphotograph of candidate [name of candidate]\n[name of registered party endorsing\ncandidate or \"Independent\" if\nappropriate]\n\nENDNOTES\nElectoral Regulations 2004 4\nENDNOTES\n1 KEY\nKey to abbreviations\namd = amended od = order\napp = appendix om = omitted\nbl = by-law pt = Part\nch = Chapter r = regulation/rule\ncl = clause rem = remainder\ndiv = Division renum = renumbered\nexp = expires/expired rep = repealed\nf = forms s = section\nGaz = Gazette sch = Schedule\nhdg = heading sdiv = Subdivision\nins = inserted SL = Subordinate Legislation\nlt = long title sub = substituted\nnc = not commenced\n2 LIST OF LEGISLATION\nElectoral Regulations (SL No. 16, 2004)\nNotified 9 June 2004\nCommenced 9 June 2004\nElectoral Legislation Amendment Act 2016 (Act No. 1, 2016)\nAssent date 2 March 2016\nCommenced 2 March 2016\nElectoral Legislation Amendment Act 2019 (Act No.11, 2019)\nAssent date 9 April 2019\nCommenced 10 April 2019 (s 2)\nElectoral Legislation Further Amendment Act 2019 (Act No. 30, 2019)\nAssent date 9 October 2019\nCommenced 1 January 2020 (s 2)\n3 GENERAL AMENDMENTS\nGeneral amendments of a formal nature (which are not referred to in the table\nof amendments to this reprint) are made by the Interpretation Legislation\nAmendment Act 2018 (Act No. 22, 2018) to: r 1 and sch 1.\n4 LIST OF AMENDMENTS\nr 2 sub Act No. 30, 2019, s 145\nr 3A ins Act No. 30, 2019, s 146\nr 5 ins Act No. 30, 2019, s 147\nsch amd Act No. 1, 2016, s 20; Act No. 11, 2019, s 16","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"A positive credit balance is required for all requests, including BYOK, so fallback providers remain available. Add credits at https://vercel.com/d?to=%2F%5Bteam%5D%2F%7E%2Fai%3Fmodal%3Dtop-up to continue.","source":"analysis-cron"},"issue_detection":{"absurdities":[],"contradictions":[]},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The legislation remains tightly focused on its original purpose of providing administrative and procedural details for the conduct of NT elections. The 2019 amendments added nomination deposits and transparency register requirements, but these are natural extensions of the original electoral administration framework rather than scope creep."},"complexity_factors":["Very short document — only 5 substantive regulations plus a form","Minimal defined terms (relies on definitions in the parent Electoral Act 2004)","Simple, direct provisions without nested conditions or exceptions","Only one minor exception clause (regulation 3(2) allowing photo flexibility)","No cross-referencing maze — each regulation points to a specific section of the parent Act","Single Schedule containing one simple form (Form 1)"],"plain_english_summary":"**What this legislation does:**\n\nThese are the **Electoral Regulations 2004**, which operate under the Northern Territory's *Electoral Act 2004*. They fill in the practical details that the main Act doesn't cover — essentially the \"how-to\" rules for running elections in the NT.\n\n**Key things covered:**\n\n*   **Fines for electoral offences** — Sets specific dollar amounts (using \"penalty units\") for breaking certain electoral laws. For example, failing to comply with certain disclosure rules costs 0.5 penalty units, while more serious offences by companies can cost up to 50 penalty units.\n\n*   **Candidate nomination requirements** — Rules for the photograph candidates must submit with their nomination (black and white, head and shoulders, taken within 6 months, with a signed statement on the back). There's flexibility — the Electoral Commission can accept non-compliant photos if the person is still recognisable.\n\n*   **Nomination deposits** — Candidates must pay **$500** to run for election, paid in full via electronic transfer or cash.\n\n*   **Ballot paper format** — Specifies exactly how ballot papers must look, including candidate photos, party names, and instructions for voters to number every box.\n\n*   **Transparency registers** — Sets out what information must be published about \"associated entities\" (groups linked to political parties) and \"third party campaigners\" (independent groups running election campaigns), including names, addresses, and registration dates.\n\n**Who it affects:**\n\n*   Anyone running for the NT Legislative Assembly (candidates)\n*   Political parties and their affiliated groups\n*   Independent campaign groups spending money on elections\n*   Voters (through the ballot paper design)\n\n**Why it matters:**\n\nThese regulations ensure elections run fairly and transparently. They make sure candidates are properly identified, serious contenders put down a deposit (which reduces frivolous candidacies), voters get clear ballot papers, and the public can see who's influencing elections through donations and campaigning."},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"The Regulations began as a compact set of technical prescriptions (photo specs, ballot form, minor penalty amounts). Amendments inserted in 2019 (Regulation 3A and Regulation 5) extended the instrument's reach by: (a) imposing a $500 nomination deposit and prescribing the allowed payment methods (Reg 3A), and (b) specifying mandatory fields for the registers of associated entities and third‑party campaigners (Reg 5). Those insertions broaden the Regulations from purely formatting and minor penalty settings to include a substantive financial barrier to candidacy and explicit transparency/registration requirements for outside campaign actors, increasing compliance and administrative scope compared with the earlier, narrower drafting."},"complexity_factors":["Short instrument (5 substantive regulations and one Schedule)","Direct cross‑references to specific sections of the Electoral Act (multiple instances: regs 2, 3, 3A, 4, 5)","Technical specification for photographs with a single discretionary exception (Reg 3(1) and 3(2))","Nomination deposit rule with detailed payment methods including ADI requirement (Reg 3A)","Fixed monetary prescriptions using penalty units and a small cash amount (Reg 2)","Prescribed fixed ballot paper template including photographs and party names (Reg 4 and Schedule)","Mandatory fields for two registers (Reg 5(1) and (2))","Amendment history adds two substantive rules in 2019 (r 3A and r 5), increasing regulatory coverage"],"plain_english_summary":"**What these regulations do (mechanically)\n\n- Set small-detail rules that implement the Electoral Act for Northern Territory Legislative Assembly elections. They specify:\n  - fixed monetary amounts for particular infringement offences (Regulation 2);\n  - technical requirements for a candidate's nomination photograph and an administrative exception allowing the Electoral Commission to accept non‑standard photos if the nominee is easily recognisable (Regulation 3);\n  - a nomination deposit amount and how it must be paid (Regulation 3A);\n  - the exact form of the ballot paper (Regulation 4 and Schedule Form 1); and\n  - the fields that must appear in two official registers: the register of associated entities and the register of third‑party campaigners (Regulation 5).\n\n**Who this affects\n\n- Candidates (nominees): must supply a photograph meeting the stated technical specifications (black & white, head-and-shoulders, taken within 6 months, signed endorsement on the reverse) or risk relying on the Commission's discretion to accept an alternative (Reg 3). Candidates (or those nominating them) must also pay a $500 nomination deposit, by a single payment either by electronic transfer from an authorised deposit‑taking institution (ADI) or in cash (Reg 3A).\n- Registered political parties and associated entities: the register of associated entities must record each entity's full name, address, the party it is associated with, and its registration date (Reg 5(1)).\n- Third‑party campaigners who register: the register must record their full name, address and registration date (Reg 5(2)).\n- Bodies and individuals who breach the named sections of the Electoral Act face the prescribed monetary penalties set out here (Reg 2).\n\n**Why it matters (purpose claims and practical effects)\n\n- The regulations fill in operational detail left to subordinate legislation by the Electoral Act: they convert high‑level Act provisions into concrete administrative rules (e.g. exact deposit amount, photo specs, ballot layout, register fields).\n- The stated purpose is administrative clarity and standardisation: a single, prescribed ballot layout (Form 1) and uniform documentary requirements for nominations and registers. Those are administrative benefits but entail costs and behavioural effects described below.\n\n**Costs, incentives and trade‑offs (mechanics, not judgement)\n\n- Direct financial cost: a $500 nomination deposit (Reg 3A(a)) is payable up front by persons or groups fielding candidates. The regulations do not set refund rules here, so whether that cost is recoverable depends on the Act or other instruments. That payment requirement creates a monetary barrier to entry for candidacy and shifts a cash flow burden onto prospective candidates or their sponsors.\n- Compliance and record‑keeping: associated entities and third‑party campaigners must supply and maintain the prescribed details for public registers (Reg 5). That increases administrative burden (collecting addresses, maintaining registration records) and creates obligations that will typically fall on the entities themselves and the Electoral Commission for maintenance and publication.\n- Administrative discretion: the Electoral Commission may accept a photograph that does not meet the technical rules if it is satisfied the nominee is readily recognisable (Reg 3(2)). This introduces an element of subjective decision‑making by the Commission which reduces mechanical rigidity but increases scope for case‑by‑case judgement.\n- Payment channels and banking requirement: electronic transfers must come from an ADI to an account specified by the Commission (Reg 3A(c)(i)). That channels payments through regulated financial institutions and creates an operational dependency on banking arrangements.\n- Ballot design effects: the ballot form requires candidate photographs and party names alongside instructions to vote a full preferential ballot (Form 1). Including photos and party endorsements changes the information voters see and may affect voter behaviour; the regulation fixes that presentation across divisions.\n\n**Who pays, who decides, what changes in behaviour\n\n- Who pays: candidates (or their sponsors) pay the $500 deposit and any costs to meet photo and registration requirements; entities may indirectly bear costs to comply with register entries; persons or bodies found in breach pay the prescribed fines (Reg 2).\n- Who decides: the Electoral Commission administers the rules, determines acceptance of non‑standard photos, specifies the account for deposit payments, and maintains the registers.\n- Behavioural change: prospective candidates must arrange an endorsed photo and a $500 payment by approved methods; entities and campaigners must register and provide the prescribed information; the Commission will apply discretion in marginal cases (Reg 3(2)).\n\n(References: Regulations 2, 3, 3A, 4, 5 and Schedule Form 1.)"},"summary":{"complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"Insufficient information is available to determine whether the scope of these regulations changed from their original intent. The document provided contains only administrative metadata and no substantive legislative text. The reprint reference (REPE029R1) suggests this is a reprinted/updated version, which may indicate amendments over time, but no detail is available to assess scope change."},"complexity_factors":["Insufficient legislative content provided — only metadata/cover page information is available, preventing assessment of actual regulatory complexity","Electoral regulations generally involve multi-layered procedural rules, but this cannot be confirmed from the document supplied","Missing key fields (Regs No, Year, Made By, Date of Making, Gazette details) suggest an incomplete or placeholder document","Complexity score is low by default due to lack of substantive content to analyse"],"plain_english_summary":"The Electoral Regulations 2004 (NT), administered by the Northern Territory Electoral Commission, set out the practical rules for running NT elections — how voting and vote handling are carried out, administrative requirements for candidates and parties, and procedural matters for electoral officials. It governs voters, candidates, parties and officials, shaping how democratic processes operate in the NT. The supplied document is mainly a metadata shell, so detailed provisions can’t be reviewed here. Commenced 1 January 2020."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/electoral-regulations-2004","history":"/api/acts/electoral-regulations-2004/history","analysis":"/api/acts/electoral-regulations-2004/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/electoral-regulations-2004/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/electoral-regulations-2004/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/electoral-regulations-2004/documents"}}