Pirate Party to run Independent Candidates in Upcoming ACT Election

Pirate Party Australia’s ACT branch formed in early June 2012, and planned to compete in the October Legislative Assembly election with their name on the ballot as a fully registered party.

Yesterday morning the ACT electoral commission released a statement rejecting the application on the grounds that it was not satisfied that the Party had 100 members who were electors at the time the party’s application was submitted. 16 of the 110 submitted were not on the electoral roll under an ACT address, meaning the Party fell short by six electors.

“While we are disappointed that we missed out on registration by such a small margin, we will amend our application and expect to be registered as soon as possible, although that will likely not be possible now until after the election,” said Glen Takkenberg, Registered Officer for Pirate Party ACT. “This does not mean will we will not contest the election. We will field candidates to be listed in the ungrouped section of the ballot.”

“Getting to 110 members – a more than 300% increase in membership – in the month leading up to the June 30 cut off date is evidence of the ACT’s strong support for the Pirate Party. This number continues to swell daily.”

Pirate Party Australia’s ACT branch will be holding its first Territory Congress in the coming weeks to elect the office bearers and select candidates to run in the 2012 ACT Election.

Last weekend Pirate Party Australia held its third National Congress in Melbourne. In recognition of the hard work that the ACT Pirates have undertaken, the federal Pirate Party has chosen to host its next National Congress in Canberra during July 2013.

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