South Australian Current Acts

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ELECTORAL ACT 1985 - SECT 125

125—Prohibition of canvassing near polling booths

        (1)         When a polling booth is open for polling, a person must not—

            (a)         canvass for votes; or

            (b)         solicit the vote of any elector; or

            (c)         induce an elector not to vote for a particular candidate; or

            (d)         induce an elector not to vote at the election; or

            (e)         exhibit a notice or sign (other than an official notice) relating to the election,

at an entrance of, or within, the polling booth, or in any public or private place within 6 metres, or such lesser distance as may be fixed in a particular case by the presiding officer, of an entrance to the booth.

Maximum penalty: $750.

        (1a)         Notwithstanding any other provision in this Act, but without limiting subsection (1)(e) and subject to subsection (1b), the following provisions apply to the exhibition of electoral advertising posters within 50 metres of an entrance to a polling booth open for polling:

            (a)         in relation to a House of Assembly election—an electoral advertising poster may only be exhibited within 50 metres of an entrance to a polling booth for a district open for polling if—

                  (i)         it is exhibited by or with the consent of a candidate for election as the member returned for a district; and

                  (ii)         no more than 12 electoral advertising posters are exhibited by or with the consent of the candidate within 50 metres of an entrance to the polling booth;

            (b)         in relation to a Legislative Council election—an electoral advertising poster may only be exhibited within 50 metres of an entrance to a polling booth open for polling if—

                  (i)         it is exhibited—

                        (A)         in the case of a group of candidates—by a member of the group or with the consent of the member of the group whose name on the ballot paper is at the top of the group; or

                        (B)         in the case of any other candidate—by or with the consent of the candidate; and

                  (ii)         —

                        (A)         in the case of a group of candidates—no more than 12 electoral advertising posters are exhibited by a member of the group or with the consent of the member of the group whose name on the ballot paper is at the top of the group within 50 metres of an entrance to the polling booth; or

                        (B)         in the case of any other candidate—no more than 12 electoral advertising posters are exhibited by or with the consent of the candidate within 50 metres of an entrance to the polling booth.

        (1b)         An electoral advertising poster exhibited under subsection (1a) must comply with any requirements prescribed by the regulations.

        (1c)         If an electoral advertising poster exhibited by or with the consent of a candidate contravenes subsection (1a) or (1b), the candidate is guilty of an offence.

Maximum penalty: $5 000.

        (1d)         If an electoral advertising poster exhibited by a member of a group or with the consent of the member of the group whose name on the ballot paper is at the top of the group contravenes subsection (1a) or (1b), the member whose name on the ballot paper is at the top of the group is guilty of an offence.

Maximum penalty: $5 000.

        (1e)         If an electoral advertising poster is exhibited within 50 metres of an entrance to a polling booth open for polling without the consent of a candidate or group required under subsection (1a), the person who authorised the exhibition of the poster is guilty of an offence.

Maximum penalty: $5 000.

        (1f)         Despite subsections (1c) to (1e), if the Electoral Commissioner is satisfied that a person has contravened subsection (1c), (1d) or (1e), the Electoral Commissioner may give the person a written formal caution against further such contraventions.

        (1g)         Subject to subsection (1h), if the Electoral Commissioner gives a person a written formal caution under subsection (1f), no further proceedings may be taken against the person for the contravention in relation to which the person was cautioned.

Note—

The presiding officer at a polling booth may (under subsection (1i)) direct or cause the removal of an electoral advertising poster exhibited in contravention of this section (whether a written formal caution is given in relation to the contravention or otherwise).

        (1h)         If, in relation to an electoral advertising poster exhibited in contravention of subsection (1c), (1d) or (1e)—

            (a)         a person given a direction by a presiding officer under subsection (1i) to remove the poster fails to comply with a direction; and

            (b)         the person is also given a written formal caution under subsection (1f) in respect of the contravention; and

            (c)         the failure to comply with the direction continues after the person is given the written formal caution,

nothing prevents criminal or civil proceedings from being taken against the person in relation to the contravention.

        (1i)         If the presiding officer at a polling booth is satisfied that an electoral advertising poster is exhibited in contravention of this section, the presiding officer may direct any of the following persons to remove the poster or cause it to be removed within a period specified by the presiding officer (which must be reasonable):

            (a)         the person who exhibited the poster;

            (b)         in the case of a poster exhibited by or with the consent of—

                  (i)         a candidate endorsed by a registered political party—the candidate or the registered officer of the party; or

                  (ii)         any other candidate—the candidate;

            (c)         in the case of a poster exhibited by or with the consent of—

                  (i)         a group endorsed by a registered political party—a member of the group or the registered officer of the party; or

                  (ii)         any other group—a member of the group;

            (d)         any other person the presiding officer considers appropriate to be directed to remove the poster.

        (1j)         If a direction of a presiding officer is not complied with within the specified period of time, the presiding officer may cause the electoral advertising poster to which the direction relates to be removed.

        (1k)         Section 115(2a) does not apply to the exhibition of an electoral advertising poster on a public road or road-related area (including any structure, fixture or vegetation on a public road or road-related area) in accordance with subsection (1a) and (1b).

        (2)         If—

            (a)         a building used as a polling booth is situated in grounds within an enclosure; and

            (b)         the appropriate district returning officer causes to be displayed throughout the hours of polling at each entrance to those grounds a signed notice stating that those grounds are, for the purposes of subsections (1) and (1a), part of the polling booth,

those grounds are, for the purposes of those subsections, to be taken to be part of the polling booth.

        (3)         The reference in subsections (1) and (1a) to a polling booth that is open for polling extends to—

            (a)         a declared institution at which votes are being taken by an electoral visitor;

            (b)         any other place where voting papers are issued.

        (4)         In this section—

"electoral advertising poster", "public road" and "road-related area" have the same respective meanings as they have in section 115.



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