Application for registration

1 An application for the registration of an eligible political party may be made to the Electoral Commission— a by the secretary of the party; or b by any member of Parliament who is a current financial member of that party. 2 An application for the registration of an eligible political party— a shall be in writing; and b shall be signed by the applicant; and c must— i set out the name of the party; and ii if the party wishes to be able to use for the purposes of this Act an abbreviation of its name, set out the name of that abbreviation; and iii set out the name and address of the applicant and the capacity in which he or she makes the application; and iv if the applicant is not the secretary of the party, set out the name and address of the secretary of the party; and v set out the name and address of the person eligible under section 206K who is to be appointed as the auditor of the party, and be accompanied by that person’s signed consent to the appointment; and vi be accompanied by evidence, in a form approved by the Electoral Commission, that the party has at least 500 current financial members who are eligible to enrol as electors; and vii be accompanied by a declaration, made by the secretary of the party in the manner provided by section 9 of the Oaths and Declarations Act 1957 that the party has at least 500 current financial members who are eligible to enrol as electors; and viii ca must be accompanied by a declaration made by the secretary of the party in the manner provided by section 9 of the Oaths and Declarations Act 1957 , which declaration must state that the party intends, at general elections,— i to submit a list of candidates under section 127 ; or ii to have 1 or more constituency candidates stand for the party or for a related political party; or iii both; and d shall be accompanied by a declaration made by the secretary of the party in the manner provided by section 9 of the Oaths and Declarations Act 1957 , which declaration shall— i state whether the party is a party in respect of which there are 1 or more component parties; and ii where the party has 1 or more component parties, state the name of each component party ; and da must be accompanied by a copy of— i the rules governing membership of the party; and ii the rules governing the selection of persons to represent the party as candidates for election as members of Parliament; and e must be accompanied by the application fee payable under section 63A . 3 Upon receipt of an application for the registration of a political party, the Electoral Commission shall deal with the application in accordance with this Part and determine whether the party can be registered. 4 Notwithstanding subsection (3), the Electoral Commission shall not be obliged to deal with any application for registration if it receives notice in writing withdrawing the application from a person entitled to apply for the registration of that party and the Electoral Commission is satisfied that the application is made by that person on behalf of the party. 5 Section 63(2)(c) : substituted , on 28 February 2002 , by section 13(1) of the Electoral Amendment Act 2002 (2002 No 1). Section 63(2)(c)(v) : amended , on 1 March 2009 , by section 14 of the Electoral Amendment Act 2009 (2009 No 1). Section 63(2)(c)(viii) : repealed , on 1 March 2009 , by section 14 of the Electoral Amendment Act 2009 (2009 No 1). Section 63(2)(ca) : inserted , on 28 February 2002 , by section 13(1) of the Electoral Amendment Act 2002 (2002 No 1). Section 63(2)(d) : added , on 6 December 1995 , by section 15(2) of the Electoral Amendment Act (No 2) 1995 (1995 No 61). Section 63(2)(d)(ii) : amended , on 25 March 2014 , by section 6(1) of the Electoral Amendment Act 2014 (2014 No 8). Section 63(2)(da) : inserted , on 1 January 2026 , by section 59 of the Electoral Amendment Act 2025 (2025 No 82). Section 63(2)(e) : inserted , on 25 March 2014 , by section 6(2) of the Electoral Amendment Act 2014 (2014 No 8). Section 63(4) : added , on 6 December 1995 , by section 15(3) of the Electoral Amendment Act (No 2) 1995 (1995 No 61). Section 63(5) : repealed , on 1 March 2009 , by section 14 of the Electoral Amendment Act 2009 (2009 No 1).