27 September, 2023
Preparations are well underway for the 2023 NSW Aboriginal Land Council (NSWALC) elections being held across the state on 24 February 2024.
There are a number of important dates for Local Aboriginal Land Council (LALC) Members to be mindful of, regarding Councillor nominations and voting options.
What is the election for?
Nine Councillors will be elected to the New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council for a four-year term, one for each of the Aboriginal Land Council Regions across the state, as specified in Part 7 Division 3, Section 121 of the Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1983 (ALRA).
NSWALC Councillors are elected to represent the political, cultural, social and economic interests of Aboriginal communities in New South Wales and set the strategic direction of NSWALC.Â
More information on current and past Councillors and the Regions they represent is available at the NSWALC website here.
Who is eligible to vote?Â
Aboriginal people over 18 who are voting Members of a LALC and who are enrolled by the close of rolls on 6 December 2023, can vote in the 2024 NSWALC Election.
However, Members’ contact details must be up-to-date. Members are being urged to contact their LALC to confirm their details as soon as possible before rolls close.
You may be a Member of more than one LALC but you can only be a voting Member at one LALC.
Potential new Members must contact their LALC directly regarding the timeframe for their application to be considered. More information on memberships is available here.
Key Dates for the NSWALC Elections
| LALC Electoral rolls close | 6 December 2023 |
| Elector lists are certified by LALC CEOs and sent to the ALRA Registrar | 13 December 2023 |
| A certified copy of the complete roll is sent by the ALRA Registrar to the NSW Electoral Commissioner | 20 December 2023 |
| Nominations open | 2 January 2024 |
| Postal vote applications open | 2 January 2024 |
| Nominations close 12 noon | 30 January 2024 |
| Ballot paper draw at NSW Electoral Commission 2pm | 31 January 2024 |
| Close of receipt of postal vote applications 6pm | 19 February 2024 |
| Election day 8am-6pm | 24 February 2024 |
| Declaration of poll | 1 March 2024 (To be Confirmed) |
Who runs the NSWALC Elections?
As per previous years, the NSW Electoral Commission (NSWEC) will run the election and is the returning officer.
More information will be available at the NSWEC website closer to the polling date, including when postal packs will be distributed and polling booth locations.
NSWALC will continue to update the Network, including possible NSWEC amendments to key dates.