Political Signage and the Council Election: What You Need to Know

With just over four weeks remaining until the NSW Local Government election, candidates and their supporters are reminded of their legal obligations to comply with State and Council regulations when erecting election signage.

A total of 44 candidates have registered to contest the Tweed Shire Council election on Saturday, 14 September 2024, following the fnalization of the ballot sheet by the NSW Electoral Commission. These candidates are divided into 10 grouped tickets, with 7 candidates running independently.

Key Signage Regulations:

• Compliance with State and Council Regulations: All election posters and signage must adhere to the State Environmental Planning Policy (Exempt and Complying Development Codes) 2008, Division 2, Subdivision 13Election signs.

• Size and Placement Restrictions: o Election signs must not exceed 0.8 square meters in area. o Signs are prohibited on Council road reserves, whether freestanding or affxed to trees or street furniture. o Signs cannot be displayed on trailers parked on roads or road-related areas. o Signs may be affxed to private telegraph poles, but ensure the pole is not owned by an electricity provider to avoid legal issues. o Signs can be attached to houses or commercial buildings if they comply with size limitations and are not on heritage or draft heritage items.

Compliance and Enforcement:

• Monitoring and Reporting: Council offcers will monitor signage compliance and residents are encouraged to report illegal or dangerous signage at tweed.nsw. gov.au/report-an-illegalactivity.

• Removal of Non-compliant

Signs: Candidates or sign owners will be contacted if a sign is non-compliant or in a dangerous location. They will have 48 hours to remove the signage, or it may be seized under the Public Spaces (Unattended Property) Act 2021. Fines apply for noncompliance ($660 for individuals and $2,640 for corporations).

• Post-Election Sign Removal: All signage must be removed within one week of the election (by Sunday, 22 September 2024) to avoid seizure and fnes. For further information on the election signage regulations, visit tweed.nsw.gov.au/ council-elections. Candidates are also reminded to comply with their electoral material obligations under the Local Government (General) Regulation 2021. Additional details on electoral material requirements can be found on the NSW Electoral Commission website.