To be registered in South Australia, a political party must qualify as either:
- A parliamentary party - a party that meets eligibility through an existing member of parliament, or
- A non-parliamentary party - a party with at least 200 members who are enrolled electors.
Parliamentary party eligibility
A party can be registered as a parliamentary party if it has at least one of the following:
- A member of the Parliament of South Australia
- A Senator for South Australia
- A member of the House of Representatives chosen in South Australia
Application requirements
All applications for registration must be submitted in writing to the Electoral Commissioner of South Australia and must include:
- The party's name and any proposed abbreviation
- The name, contact details and signature of the registered officer, along with general party contact details
- A copy of the party's constitution
- A non-refundable application fee of $500.
Additional requirements for non-parliamentary parties
Non-parliamentary parties must also provide:
- A list of 200 party members who are enrolled electors, including their names and enrolled addresses
- Membership declarations (in the form approved by the Electoral Commissioner) completed and signed by each of the 200 members relied upon for eligibility.
Legislative references
For full requirements and conditions, refer to Part 6 of the Electoral Act 1985 (the Act).
Registered political parties must also meet disclosure obligations under Part 13A of the Act. Further information is available on our Political Parties - Funding and Disclosure page.