Changes implemented to prevent voter confusion on polling day

• Electoral Amendment (Names of Registered Political Parties) Bill 2024 passes
• Changes to reduce voter confusion over registered political parties with the same or very similar names

Political parties seeking to register a name or abbreviation that contains a word in another registered party's name will be refused registration, on the basis that it could confuse or mislead voters at the ballot box.

There have been instances in Western Australia where political parties have been approved for registration with similar names to existing parties.

These include the Liberal Democratic Party, Liberals for Climate, Liberals for Forests and Independent Labor. More recently, the Democratic Labour Party was approved for registration with the registered abbreviation Labour DLP, creating clear risk of confusion.

The Electoral Act 1907 sets out criteria in relation to a political party's proposed registered name that, if infringed, require the WA Electoral Commissioner to refuse the application for registration.

However, while the existing criteria in the Electoral Act 1907 serve an important purpose in reducing confusion for voters, they do not adequately address the risk of confusion caused by a political party seeking to use a word that is already contained in a registered party's name or abbreviation. 

The Electoral Amendment (Names of Registered Political Parties) Bill 2024, which passed through both Houses of State Parliament today, strengthens existing provisions which require the Commissioner to refuse to register a political party if the proposed name infringes certain criteria.

The changes are modelled on similar provisions within the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918.

Comments attributed to Electoral Affairs Minister John Quigley:

"The WA Labor Government has a strong track record in delivering transparency and fairness to electoral affairs.

"Under the changes, the Electoral Commissioner will be required to refuse to register a political party if the party's proposed name or abbreviation contains a word that is in an already-registered political party's name or abbreviation.

"This change has been brought forward for one sole purpose and that is to avoid confusion amongst the electors who might be going to the ballot box thinking they are voting for one party but have been confused and misled and end up unintentionally voting for a different party.

"This will be applied to all parties seeking election of their candidates at the upcoming State Election."