The Australian Candidate Study (ACS) surveys are conducted in parallel with the AES surveys of voters, and have been conducted at each federal election since 1987, with the exception of the 1998 election. All but the 1987 study have been funded by the Australian Research Council.

In 1987, all candidates for the House of Representatives and Senate were sampled. Since 1990, the surveys have been restricted to samples of all major party candidates, identifiable Green and other environmental candidates, and candidates of parties that were expected to win 10% or more of the first preference lower house vote. This restriction is designed to cut fieldwork costs, since about half of the total number of candidates at any federal election are minor party or independent candidates, almost all of whom lose their deposits.