The Australian Election Company (AEC), also referred to as AustElect, is a private company which conducts Australian elections, including at the local government level.
The company has never conducted an election at a state or federal level, which are managed by state electoral commissions and the Australian Electoral Commission respectively.
The company was founded ahead of the 2012 New South Wales local elections, and conducted the elections for multiple councils instead of the New South Wales Electoral Commission.
Despite a staff recommendation, Port Macquarie-Hastings Council opted not to use the company, partly because it had not conducted any elections in New South Wales before.
[3][4] The cancelled 2020 Norfolk Island local election was also scheduled to be held by the company.