Member Guide: Nominating in an AEC-Conducted Election

Estimated reading: 4 minutes

A step-by-step guide for AEU NT members nominating in any election conducted by the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC).

AEU NT elections for positions such as Branch Conference Delegate, Branch Executive, Federal Committee Roles, and a other governance roles are conducted independently by the AEC. This guide walks you through how to complete and lodge a nomination form.

Step 1. Complete Your Candidate details

At the top of the nomination form, fill in:

Candidate name (first and last name)
Membership number (Included at the top of most All Member Emails from the AEU after 9 June 2026. Contact the office if You are struggling to find it.)
Office (the position you are nominating for, e.g. “Branch Conference Delegate”)
Location (your Sub-Branch or workplace name)

Tip: Write clearly in BLOCK LETTERS. The AEC processes forms manually.

Step 2. Get the Form Signed by Nominators

You must have at least two (2) financial members nominate you. Each nominator must provide:

Name
Membership number (included at the top of most All Member Emails from the AEU after 9 June 2026. Contact the office if they are struggling to find it.)
Signature
Date

Nominators must be financial (i.e. up to date with their membership fees). If you’re unsure who in your workplace is financial, contact the AEU NT office and we can help.

Step 3. Complete Candidate consent

You must complete the candidate consent section, including:

Printed name
Confirmation of consent and eligibility declaration
Personal email address (the AEC’s preferred method of communication)
Postal address and phone number
Signature and date

Why personal email? The AEC communicates directly with candidates. Using a personal email ensures you receive correspondence even during school holidays or if you change workplaces.

Step 4. Lodge your nomination

It is your responsibility to ensure the nomination is received by the Returning Officer before the deadline stated in the election notice.

The election notice will confirm lodgement method(s). Typically, nominations can be lodged via:

The AEC industrial elections portal, or
Email (scan the fully signed nomination form and email it to the AEC nominations address provided in the notice)

If lodging by email

Send each candidate’s nomination as a separate PDF
Use the subject line format shown in the election notice
Keep the email and attachments under 6 MB total
Spam filters can block messages: check your sent folder and follow up if you don’t receive an acknowledgement within a few business days

Important: Nominations received after the deadline cannot be accepted, regardless of the reason. Don’t leave it to the last day.

After you lodge

After the nomination deadline passes, the AEC reviews all nominations to check eligibility and compliance.

You should receive an acknowledgement email confirming receipt. Keep this for your records.
If there is an issue with your nomination, the Returning Officer will contact you and give you a timeframe to fix it.
If more candidates nominate than there are positions available, a postal ballot will be conducted. The election notice will include ballot dates.

Common questions

What if I don’t know my membership number?

Contact the AEU NT office. We can look it up for you quickly.

What if I can’t find two nominators?

Contact the office or your Regional Rep. We can help connect you with financial members in your sub-branch.

Can I nominate for more than one position?

This depends on the election rules. Check the specific election notice or contact the office.

What Sub-Branch do I list?

Usually your workplace name. If you’re unsure, contact the AEU NT office.

Need help?

If you need assistance completing the form, finding your membership number, or identifying nominators, contact the AEU NT office. We’re happy to help.

aeunt@aeunt.org.au

Member Guide: Nominating in an AEC-Conducted Election

Step 1. Complete Your Candidate details

Step 2. Get the Form Signed by Nominators

Step 3. Complete Candidate consent

Step 4. Lodge your nomination

If lodging by email

After you lodge

Common questions

What if I don’t know my membership number?

What if I can’t find two nominators?

Can I nominate for more than one position?

What Sub-Branch do I list?

Need help?

Member Guide: Nominating in an AEC-Conducted Election

Need Help?