Parties and Candidates
Council elections are your opportunity to represent your community.
As a council member, you can help create a future that you and your community can be proud of and enjoy. If you are passionate about your local community, willing to work as part of a team, keen to learn and make a difference, nominate for a position on council. In South Australia, whole of state council elections (called periodic elections) are held every 4 years for all 68 councils except the Municipal Council of Roxby Downs, which operates under its own administration. The next periodic council elections will take place in November 2026.
In South Australia, whole of state council elections (called periodic elections) are held every 4 years. 67 councils will be involved in the elections with the exception of the Municipal Council of Roxby Downs Council, which operates under its own legislation.
Acts and RegulationsThe rules that govern council elections are set out in:
The Acts and Regulations should be read in conjunction with the Local Government Act 1999.
Candidate eligibility and ineligibility
You are eligible to be a candidate for election as a member of a council if you are:
- an Australian citizen
- at the time the electoral roll closes:
- enrolled in the council area you are contesting, or
- the nominee of a body corporate or a group that has its name on the voters roll for the council area
- left off the voters roll for the council area in error.
You are not eligible to be a candidate for election as a member of a council if you are:
- a member of an Australian Parliament; or
- an undischarged bankrupt or receiving the benefit of a law for the relief of insolvent debtors; or
- have been sentenced to imprisonment and are, or could on the happening of some contingency become, liable to serve the sentence or the remainder of the sentence; or
- are an employee of the council; or
- are disqualified from election by court order under the Local Government Act 1999.
You are not eligible to be a candidate for election as a member of a council if you:
- in the case of a supplementary election - are a member of another council; or
- in the case of any election - are a candidate for election as a member of another council
Candidate disclosure returns
A person who is a candidate for election to an office of a council must lodge two campaign donation returns at the times prescribed by the Local Government (Elections) Act 1999. More information about candidate disclosure returns for recent elections can be accessed via the candidate returns for council elections page.
Candidate responsibilities
As a candidate, you have a range of important responsibilities and obligations under the law. These include making sure all electoral material you publish contains the proper authorisation statement, and that the material is neither inaccurate nor misleading. All candidates, whether successful or not, must lodge disclosure returns.
Responsibilities as a member of a council
Councils are responsible for many of the services that make South Australia such a great place to live and work, including libraries, playgrounds, sporting facilities and rubbish and recycling. Becoming a councillor or mayor means you will help shape a wide range of policies and decisions that will impact the short and long-term future of your local community. More information can be found on the council elections website (this link goes to an external website).
Electoral advertising
There are restrictions placed on advertising during, and outside of, an election period. These are contained within Part 7 of the Local Government (Elections) Act 1999. The Electoral Commission SA is unable to provide advice on the interpretation of these provisions. Therefore, if you are in doubt about the interpretation, we recommend you seek independent legal advice. Learn more on our electoral advertising page.
A person who is a candidate for election to an office of a council must lodge the following returns with the Electoral Commissioner:
CAMPAIGN DONATIONS RETURN - all councils including the City of Adelaide
Candidates (for all councils including the City of Adelaide) must lodge a campaign donations return with the Electoral Commissioner.
Candidates must lodge 2 returns:
For a periodic election:
- the first campaign donation return must be lodged with the returning officer in the period between 22 to 28 days after the close of nominations
- the second campaign donation return must be lodged within 30 days after the conclusion of the election.
For any other type of election (supplementary, etc.):
- the first campaign donation return must be lodged with the returning officer in the period between 8 to 14 days after the close of nominations
- the second campaign donation return must be lodged within 30 days after the conclusion of the election.
The return must disclose:
- the total amount or value of all gifts received during the disclosure period
- the number of people who made those gifts
- the amount or value of each gift
- the date on which each gift was made
- details of persons and organisations (donors) providing those gifts.
The campaign donations return need not set out any details in respect of:
- a private gift made to the candidate
- a gift with an amount or value less than $500
- a gift already disclosed in a large gift return
If a candidate is not required to provide any details in a return, the campaign donations return must still be lodged and include a statement to the effect that no gifts of a kind required to be disclosed were received.
LARGE GIFTS RETURN - all councils including the City of Adelaide
All candidates (for all councils including the City of Adelaide) must lodge a large gifts return if they receive a gift or gifts from a donor in excess of $2,500.
The Acts prescribe different times that the large gifts return must be lodged, but during the election year, a large gift return must be lodged within 5 days of receipt of the large gift.
The return must disclose:
- the amount or value of each gift received
- details of persons and organisations (donors) providing those gifts
- the date on which each gift was made.
Two or more gifts (excluding private gifts) made by the same person to a candidate during the disclosure period are to be treated as one gift.
A large gifts return need not set out any details in respect of a private gift made to the candidate. A gift to a candidate is a private gift if it is made in a private capacity to the candidate for their personal use and the candidate has not used, and will not use, the gift solely or substantially for a purpose related to the election.
- Large Gifts Return - other councils - LG52 (PDF, 232KB)
- Large Gifts Return - City of Adelaide - LG53 (PDF, 797KB)
Large gifts returns should be lodged with ECSA at
CAMPAIGN EXPENDITURE RETURN - City of Adelaide only
Candidates for City of Adelaide elections must lodge a campaign expenditure return, in addition to any campaign donation return or large gift return.
A campaign expenditure return must be lodged within 30 days of the conclusion of the election and set out all details of campaign expenditure in relation to the election incurred by or with the authority of the candidate.
If a candidate does not incur more than $500 in campaign expenditure, they may lodge a ‘NIL’ return.
The types of expenditure defined as campaign expenditure are set out in section 25(2) of the City of Adelaide Act 1998 and they include items such as:
- the broadcasting of an electoral advertisement
- production and display of an electoral advertisement
- production of material requiring the author or printer of the material to be displayed in accordance with section 27 LGEA 1999
- consulting and advertising agency fees
- production and distribution of electoral material.
Offences
See section 85 of the Local Government (Elections) Act 1999 and section 29 of the City of Adelaide Act 1998. It is an offence to fail to lodge a return within time, to lodge a return containing false or misleading information, or to supply information that is false or misleading to another person for a return. The maximum penalty is $10,000.
Public inspection of returns
The Electoral Commissioner is required to publish all returns within prescribed times on a website maintained by the returning officer. Campaign donation returns and large gift returns disclosed by candidates standing in council election are available on each candidate's online profile.
* The above link will take you to our council elections results site. Each candidate's return is accessed via their profile by selecting the blue button beside the relevant donation return.
Records
See section 89 of the Local Government (Elections) Act 1999 and section 33 of the City of Adelaide Act 1988. A person must take reasonable steps to retain all records relevant to a return and keep these for at least 4 years after the date of which the relevant return is required to be lodged. The maximum penalty is $5,000.
More information
- Part 8, ss 22-34 of the City of Adelaide Act 1998
- Regulation 6 of the City of Adelaide (Elections and Polls) Regulations 2010
Disclaimer: The information provided above is general in nature. Candidates and others should refer to the specific wording of the Act and Regulations and seek independent legal or other advice on any issues of interpretation that may arise.
Part 13A of the Electoral Act 1985 allows compliance audits to be undertaken for the purpose of finding out whether participants have complied with the Part.
Following the amendments introduced by the Electoral (Accountability and Integrity) Amendment Act 2024, what was previously referred to as 'special assistance funding' is now termed 'administrative funding.' This form of public funding is provided under Division 5 of the Electoral Act 1985.
👉 Learn more about administrative funding for registered political parties and independent members of parliament.
Historical overview of special assistance funding
Prior to the amendments introduced by the Electoral (Accountability and Integrity) Amendment Act 2024, public funding provided under Division 5 of the Electoral Act 1985 was known as special assistance funding.
Under this scheme, claims were subject to the following maximum indexed amounts:
- Up to 5 members of parliament: $35,000
- 6 or more members of parliament: $60,000
Between 2015 and 2024, the Electoral Commissioner paid special assistance funding to eligible parties in accordance with these limits. The table below outlines the amounts paid to various parties during that period.
Note: As of 2024, this funding is now referred to as administrative funding, reflecting changes made under the Amendment Act.
| Australian Labor Party | Liberal Party | The Greens | SA Best | Advance SA* | Dignity Party** | Family First^ | Australian Conservatives^^ | Pauline Hanson's One Nation | |
| Date | $ | $ | $ | $ | $ | $ | $ | $ | $ |
| 1/07/24 - 31/12/24 | 78,840.00 | 78,840.00 | 45,990.00 | 35,356.67 | - | - | - | - | 15,176.61 |
| 1/01/24 - 30/06/24 | 75,586.00 | 75,586.00 | 44,092.00 | 37,773.10 | - | - | - | - | 17,748.43 |
| 1/07/23 - 31/12/23 | 75,586.00 | 75,586.00 | 44,092.00 | 36,780.61 | - | - | - | - | 15,387.59 |
| 1/01/23 - 30/06/23 | 70,048.00 | 70,048.00 | 40,862.00 | 36,601.34 | - | - | - | - | 20,045.00 |
| 1/07/22 - 31/12/22 | 70,048.00 | 70,048.00 | 40,862.00 | 35,993.43 | - | - | - | - | 11,122.39 |
| 1/01/22 - 30/06/22 | 66,908.00 | 66,908.00 | 39,030.00 | 27,901.55 | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1/07/21 - 31/12/21 | 66,908.00 | 66,908.00 | 39,030.00 | 39,030.00 | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1/01/21 - 30/06/21 | 66,109.00 | 66,109.00 | 38,564.00 | 38,564.00 | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1/07/20 - 31/12/20 | 66,109.00 | 66,109.00 | 38,564.00 | 29,071.53 | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1/01/20 - 30/06/20 | 64,568.00 | 64,568.00 | 37,665.00 | 37,665.00 | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1/07/19 - 31/12/19 | 64,568.00 | 64,568.00 | 37,665.00 | 37,665.00 | 952.04 | - | -; | - | - |
| 1/01/19 - 30/06/19 | 63,711.00 | 63,711.00 | 37,165.00 | 37,165.00 | 219.24 | - | - | - | - |
| 1/07/18 - 31/12/18 | 63,711.00 | 63,711.00 | 37,165.00 | 37,165.00 | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1/01/18 - 30/06/18 | 62,283.00 | 62,283.00 | 36.333.00 | - | - | - | - | 36,333.00 | - |
| 1/07/17 - 31/12/17 | 62,283.00 | 62,283.00 | 36,333.00 | - | - | 36,333.00 | - | - | - |
| 1/01/17 - 30/06/17 | 60,000.00 | 60,000.00 | 35,000.00 | - | - | 29,672.00 | - | - | - |
| 1/07/16 - 31/12/16 | 12,217.00 | 12,217.00 | 7,127.00 | - | - | 7,127.00 | 6,218.39 | - | - |
| 1/01/16 - 30/06/16 | 12,217.00 | 12,217.00 | 7,127.00 | - | - | 7,127.00 | 4,403.19 | - | - |
| 1/07/15 - 31/12/15 | 12,137.00 | 12,137.00 | 7,080.00 | - | - | 7,080.00 | 825.00 | - | - |
| Total | 1,113,837.00 | 1,113,837.00 | 613,413.00 | 466,732.23 | 1,171.28 | 87,339.00 | 11,446.58 | 36,333.00 | 79,480.02 |
| Special assistance paid to date: $3,523,589.11 | |||||||||
| * | deregistered 25 August 2022 |
| ** | deregistered 28 November 2019 |
| ^ | deregistered 27 June 2017 (n.b. a new party called Family First Party Inc. was registered on 13 January 2022) |
| ^^ | deregistered 27 June 2019 |
One-off special assistance funding (Historical - 2017)
Section 130UA of the Electoral Act 1985 was introduced on 9 June 2017 and expired on 31 August 2017. It allowed eligible registered political parties to claim a one-off payment of special assistance funding to cover prescribed administrative expenditure incurred in complying with Part 13A of the Act.
To receive this funding, parties were required to submit a written claim to the Electoral Commissioner by 31 July 2017. The maximum claimable amounts were:
- Parties with 5 or fewer members of Parliament: $56,000
- Parties with 6 or more members of Parliament: $96,000
These payments were made in addition to any half-yearly special assistance funding provided under Division 5 of the Act.
| Party | Claim |
| Australian Labor Party | $96,000.00 |
| Liberal Party | $96,000.00 |
| The Greens | $10,013.79 |
| Dignity Party | $43,861.44 |
| Total | $245,875.23 |