The polling date of the next general election is the key date which determines when all the other electoral process must take place.
Election Polling Date
In normal circumstances the earliest date for polling is July 23rd and the last date for polling is August 21st.
The polling date is determined by what the Constitution says about the duration of Parliament.
• The maximum five-year term of the current Parliament ends at midnight on August 21st 2018.
• Section 158 states that a general election must be held so that polling takes place not more than thirty days before the expiry of the five-year term of Parliament, i.e. not before July 23rd.
• The last date for polling is based on Constitution section 144 which states that the last dates for polling must be before Parliament’s term ends, i.e. polling cannot be later than August 21st.
Gazetting of Presidential Proclamation of a General Election
The President still has the prerogative of deciding the exact date to proclaim elections but must allow the number of days fixed by the Constitution and the Electoral Act between proclamation and polling day.
The Proclamation calling an election must be not less than 44 and not more than 84 days before the polling day chosen [Constitution section 157(3) and section 38 of the Electoral Act]. This means:
• For a July 23rd election: the earliest date for proclamation is April 30th [84 days before polling day] and latest is June 9th [44 days before]
• For an August 21st election: the earliest date for proclamation is May 29th [84 days before] and the latest is July 8th [44 days before]
• For any polling date between July 23rd and August 21st calculate a minimum of 44 days and a maximum 84 days between proclamation and polling.
Nomination Day
When the President has decided the polling day and proclamation day, the day for nomination can be fixed. Nomination day is the day on which candidates have to take their papers to a nomination court. There must be a minimum period of 14 days, and a maximum of 21days, from proclamation to nomination day [Constitution section 157(3) and Electoral Act section 38].
[Note: There must be a minimum of 30 days from nomination date to polling date and a maximum of 63 days]
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