The NSW Government is taking steps to bring forward the date of the 2027 NSW State general election by two weeks to 13 March 2027 due to a clash with Easter.
The next NSW State general election is due to fall on 27 March 2027, the end of the Government's four-year term. However, this date coincides with the Easter public holiday weekend (Good Friday, 26 March - Easter Monday, 29 March 2027).
To bring forward the election date, the Constitution Act 1902 (NSW) permits the Governor to dissolve the Legislative Assembly up to two months prior to the end of its fixed four-year term if the election would otherwise clash with a public holiday.
The proposal to bring forward the polling day by two weeks to avoid an Easter clash is informed by consultation with the Opposition and the NSW Electoral Commission.
The Special Minister of State told NSW Parliament today that, subject to finalising consultation, the Government intends to recommend to the Governor, in due course, the making of a proclamation to dissolve the Legislative Assembly early, to achieve a 13 March 2027 election date.
Usually, the NSW state election is held on the fourth Saturday in March after a Government has served a four-year term.
The 2027 Election is the first time that the election has fallen on the Easter weekend since four-year term parliaments were approved by NSW electors at a referendum in 1995.
Special Minister of State John Graham said:
"Bringing the NSW election forward two weeks is a commonsense move. With so many people away on holiday, asking voters to get to polling booths over the Easter long weekend would create a logistical challenge for voters, but also a significant operational challenges for the NSW Electoral Commission in conducting the election.
"There is no politics in this decision, it is a simple matter of reviewing where dates fall and what is a feasible and legal solution to working around the Easter break and public holiday period."
