Electoral Act 1993

Election advertising - General rules governing election advertisements

204B: Persons who may promote election advertisements

You could also call this:

"Who can pay for election ads and how much they can spend"

You can promote an election advertisement if you are a party secretary, a candidate, a registered promoter, or an unregistered promoter who spends no more than $16,700 on advertising during the regulated period. You can find out more about the regulated amount in section 266A. The $16,700 limit includes goods and services tax.

If you promote an election advertisement without being allowed to, you can be guilty of an illegal practice. You must follow the rules to promote election advertisements. The rules are in place to ensure fair elections.

You should be aware that there are consequences for not following the rules. If you break the rules, you can get in trouble. It is essential to understand who can promote election advertisements and how much they can spend.

This text is automatically generated. It might be out of date or be missing some parts. Find out more about how we do this.

This page was last updated on 18 July 2025

View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM3486963.

Topics:

Government and voting > Elections

204A: Interpretation, or

"What special words mean in this law"

204C: Apportionment of advertising expenses for publication of election advertisement promoted by unregistered promoter both before and during regulated period, or

"How to split advertising costs if you're not registered and advertise before and during the election period"

Part 6AAElection advertising
General rules governing election advertisements

204BPersons who may promote election advertisements

A person is entitled to promote an election advertisement if the person is—
a party secretary:
a candidate:
a registered promoter:
an unregistered promoter who does not incur advertising expenses exceeding $16,700 (or such other amount as is prescribed by the Governor-General by Order in Council under section 266A) in relation to election advertisements published during the regulated period.

The amount in subsection (1)(d) is inclusive of goods and services tax.
Every person who wilfully promotes an election advertisement without being entitled to do so under subsection (1) is guilty of an illegal practice.

Compare

2007 No 111 s 63(3), (4)

Notes

Section 204B: inserted, on 1 January 2011, by section 7 of the Electoral (Finance Reform and Advance Voting) Amendment Act 2010 (2010 No 137).
Section 204B(1)(d): amended, on 1 July 2025, by clause 4 of the Electoral (Expenditure Limit) Order 2025 (SL 2025/119).