Election signs

An election sign is generally a temporary corflute sign or poster that could:

  • influence a person to vote in a government election or referendum
  • affect the result of any government election or referendum. 

Council regulates the number, size, location and display period of election signs per the Election Signs Local Law 2019.

Requirements for displaying election signs

Display period

A sign can be on display for up to 6 weeks before and up to one week after the polling day of an election.

Permitted number of signs

The number of campaign signs allowed to be on display at any one time depends on who they promote.

Candidates can have up to:

  • 60 signs for a Division 1-10 local government candidate
  • 120 signs for a Division 11-12 local government candidate
  • 120 signs for a State Government candidate
  • 200 signs for a Federal Government candidate
  • 300 signs for a Mayoral candidate.

Election sign size and construction requirements

Signs displayed on public land must be 600 millimetres wide by 900 millimetres high.

Signs displayed on private land must be 600 millimetres wide by 900 millimetres high, or 900 millimetres wide by 1200 millimetres high.

Note: A double-sided A-frame sign constitutes one election sign.

An election sign may only be on display if it is: 

  • made of corrugated plastic
  • at least 3 millimetres thick
  • not illuminated or reflective
  • not made up of electronic or moving parts
  • maintained in a good state of repair always
  • covered by a public liability insurance policy for at least $20 million per occurrence
  • rectangular, with the lowest edge of the sign being parallel to the ground. 

Where election signs can be displayed

On private land, an election sign may only be on display if it is:

  • no more than 2.5 metres above ground level
  • no more than 2 election signs, if it is double-sided, only one sign is allowed
  • at least 2 metres away from any other election sign; and
  • the property owner or occupier consents to the display.  

On public land, an election sign may only be on display if it is:

  • in an A-frame
  • at least 3 metres from any other election sign
  • no more than 3 signs are within a 9-metre radius
  • perpendicular to any adjacent road
  • not obstructing pedestrian traffic
  • supervised by a person aged 17 years and above. A person can only supervise up to 3 signs. 

Where election signs cannot be displayed

Election signs must not be on display within:

  • 3 metres of a road with a speed limit of 80 kilometres per hour or less
  • 6 metres of a road with a speed limit of more than 80 kilometres per hour.

Election signs must not be on display within 20 metres of:

  • roundabouts
  • school zones
  • cross-intersections and T-intersections
  • railway level crossings
  • pedestrian crossings
  • traffic signs requiring a driver to stop, give way, change speed, change direction or change lane
  • bus stops.

For information on how to calculate this 20-metre distance, review the election signs guidelines(PDF, 3MB).

Display exceptions for polling booths

For polling booths on private land:

  • there is no minimum separation distance between election signs
  • more than 2 signs promoting a candidate can be displayed on that land
  • signs cannot obstruct a sign that is already at the booth
  • all other rules still apply.

For polling booths on public land:

  • there is no minimum separation distance between election signs
  • more than 3 signs promoting a candidate can be on display on that land or within a 9-metre radius
  • election signs do not need to be displayed in A-frames
  • signs cannot obstruct a sign that is already at the booth
  • all other rules still apply.

For nature strips next to polling booths:

  • there is no minimum separation distance between election signs
  • up to 3 signs promoting a candidate can be on display per frontage or entrance of the polling booth
  • signs cannot obstruct a sign that is already at the booth
  • all other rules still apply.

Apply for exceptional circumstances

To request the installation of an election sign under exceptional circumstances, contact Council.

Applications will only be approved if you can show that an exceptional circumstance exists justifying the display.

Offences relating to election signs

It is an offence to:

  • display an election sign in a manner that does not follow local law
  • wave an election sign at vehicles or distract motorists
  • threaten, insult, mislead or abuse an authorised person
  • fail to give your name and address to an authorised person when properly requested
  • fail to follow the conditions of an exceptional circumstances approval (if you have one).

Council enforcement action

If you commit an offence, Council may:

  • verbally warn you
  • seize and impound your signs
  • issue you with a fine
  • prosecute you in the Magistrates Court.

You will have 15 business days to pay the prescribed fee to retrieve any impounded signs. Council may dispose of any uncollected signs.

Who may be fined or prosecuted

For the offence of failing to display a sign under the rules, Council may prosecute or fine the:

  • person supervising the sign
  • owner or occupier of the property on which the sign is being displayed
  • candidate who is being promoted on the sign.

For other offences Council may prosecute and/or fine the person committing the offence. This includes waving election signs at vehicles.

Report an abandoned or illegal sign

If you believe an election sign does not comply with local law or has been abandoned, you can report it to Council online.

Report an Illegal or abandoned sign

Back to top