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Electing the Assembly

Electing the Assembly

​​The Legislative Assembly consists of 93 Members, each representing an electoral district of New South Wales.

Members of the Legislative Assembly are elected for a maximum term of four years. The next state election will be held on Saturday 25 March 2023, which is the fourth Saturday in March following the expiration of the Legislative Assembly after its four-year term (this is set out in section 24 and section 24A of the NSW Constitution Act 1902). If a seat becomes vacant in-between elections it is filled via a by-election.

Any person qualified to vote in New South Wales is entitled to run for a seat in the Legislative Assembly.

Members of the Legislative Assembly are elected using an optional preferential system. The name of each candidate and their political party affiliation (if applicable) is listed on the ballot paper. In order for a vote to be valid, voters must place the number “1” in the square next to the name of the candidate who is their first choice. Voters then have the option of allocating further preferences by placing consecutive numbers, beginning with the number “2”, in the squares next to the names of additional candidates.

A Sample Ballot FormThe candidate that receives more than half the number of formal first preference votes cast in the electoral district is declared the winner. If no candidate receives more than half the formal first preference votes, a distribution of preferences takes place. During this process, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated and their ballot papers are distributed to the remaining candidates according to the next available preference shown on them. Ballot papers which only have a first preference cast cannot be distributed and are exhausted. This process is repeated, with one candidate being eliminated each time, until a candidate has more than half the number of remaining votes.

Further Information
For information on current Members of the Legislative Assembly, including contact and biographical details, see Members in the Assembly.

For a breakdown of numbers of government, opposition and independent Members, see Party representation in the Assembly.

For more information on elections in New South Wales see Electing the Parliament.

For all up to date information about electoral law and state elections go the New South Wales Electoral Commission (NSWEC) website.

The Parliament of New South Wales acknowledges and respects the traditional lands of all Aboriginal people, and pays respects to all Elders past and present. We acknowledge the Gadigal people as the traditional custodians of the land on which the Parliament of New South Wales stands.