News

Nominate for APY Executive Board elections

Do you want to be a leader in your community?

A great way to represent the interests of the Aṉangu is by nominating for the APY Executive Board elections.

Nominations open next Monday 24 May and must be lodged by 4pm (CST) Monday 31 May 2021.

To find out if you are eligible to nominate, go to the APY Executive Board elections webpage.

New Area Councillor for Wudinna District Council

Congratulations to Matthew William Cook who has been elected unopposed as the new Area Councillor for Wudinna District Council.

For all the details visit the supplementary election page.

Early voting at ECSA for Tasmanian elections

Are you currently living in South Australia and eligible to vote in the Tasmanian Legislative Council elections or the 2021 Tasmanian State Election?

We have you covered, with in-person early voting available in our office from Wednesday 14 April 2021 through to 5pm Friday 30 April 2021.

What you need to know:

• Who: Eligible Tasmanian voters.
• Where: ECSA, Level 6, 60 Light Square, Adelaide SA 5000.
• When: From Wednesday 14 April 2021 to 5pm Friday 30 April 2021 (excluding weekends).
• Time: Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm.
• Appointment: No appointment is necessary.
• Safety and accessibility: The ECSA office is fully wheelchair accessible. Social distancing measures are also in place. On arrival you will be asked to sign into our attendance register and sanitise your hands.

For election details, please visit the Tasmanian Electoral Commission website (external link).

Election time for Copper Coast and Wudinna

Supplementary elections will be held this June to elect Area Councillors for Wudinna District Council (one vacancy) and Copper Coast Council (two vacancies).

To be eligible to vote, you must be on the State electoral roll. If you have recently turned 18 or changed address, don’t forget to update your details using the electoral enrolment form.

Even if you aren’t eligible to be on the State electoral roll you may still be entitled to enrol and vote if you are:

• a resident or a non-Australian citizen who has lived at your residential address for one month or more
• an owner of an organisation or business
• an owner of a holiday home • a sole owner, or group of owners, of a rateable property
• a sole occupier, or group of occupiers, of a rateable property
• a landlord of rateable property.

Last chance to enrol is 5pm on Wednesday 31 March 2021.

For details, head over to the Wudinna District Council supplementary election page or the Copper Coast Council supplementary election page.

Want to help us deliver democracy?

We are looking for 94 outstanding individuals to fill the roles of Returning Officer and Deputy Returning Officer for the 2022 State Election.

Positions will be available across Adelaide and throughout regional South Australia.

If you are a capable and experienced leader with no political affiliations, head over to our employment page for details on how to apply.

ECSA is committed to creating an inclusive workforce that reflects the diversity of our community and is an equal opportunity employer.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People, the culturally and linguistically diverse and people living with disability are strongly encouraged to apply.

New date for Aṉangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Executive Board elections

The elections for the Aṉangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Executive Board have been rescheduled and Voting Day will now be held on Wednesday 4 August 2021.

A male and a female will be elected to each of the seven electorates in the APY Lands and they will have the important role of representing their electorate on the APY Executive Board.  

To be eligible to vote in these elections you must be Aṉangu, 18 years of age or over, and enrolled in one of the seven APY Lands electorates.

Provisional results for Kangaroo Island Council

Congratulations to Richard COTTERILL and David MEPHAM who have been provisionally elected as the new Kangaroo Island Councillors. 

Voting for this postal election closed at 12noon Monday 1 March 2021, and a total of three candidates competed for this vacancy.

Details are available on the supplementary elections results page

Provisional results for Clare & Gilbert Valleys Council election

Congratulations to David Owen WILLSON who has been provisionally elected as the new Clare & Gilbert Valleys Councillors. 

Voting for this postal election closed at 12noon Monday 1 March 2021, and a total of four candidates competed for this vacancy.

Details are available on the supplementary elections results page

Early voting Western Australian State Election

Are you currently in South Australia and eligible to vote in the WA State General Election?

We have you covered, with in-person early voting available in our office from Wednesday 24 February through to 6pm on Friday 12 March. 

What you need to know

Who: Eligible WA voters.

Where: ECSA, Level 6, 60 Light Square, Adelaide SA 5000

When: From Wednesday 24 February to Friday 12 March 2021 (excluding weekends).

Time: Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm. Please note that on Friday 12 March voting will conclude at 6pm.

Appointment: No appointment is necessary. On arrival, please take the lift to Level 6.  

Safety and accessibility: ECSA's office is fully wheelchair accessible. Social distancing measures are also in place. On arrival you will be asked to sign into our attendance register and sanitise your hands.

For election details, please visit the Western Australian Electoral Commission (external link). 

New Mayor for The Flinders Ranges Council

Congratulations to Greg Flint who has been elected unopposed as the new Mayor for The Flinders Ranges Council.

For all the details, visit the supplementary election page.

Watch the live stream of the ballot paper order for Kangaroo Island and Clare & Gilbert Valleys

The draw for the ballot paper order for the Kangaroo Island Council and Clare & Gilbert Valleys Council supplementary elections will be live-streamed from 4 pm on Thursday 28 January.

You can view the live-stream here.

Nominations now open for Flinders Ranges, Kangaroo Island and Clare & Gilbert Valleys

Have you ever thought about representing your local community?

Nominations are now open for The Flinders Ranges Council, Kangaroo Island Council and Clare & Gilbert Valleys Council supplementary elections.

If you would like to become a candidate, nomination kits are available from the relevant council office.

For more details about these elections, please click on a link below:

• The Flinders Ranges Council
• Kangaroo Island Council
• Clare & Gilbert Valleys Council.

Please note that your nomination must be lodged by 12 noon on Thursday 28 January 2021.

Opening hours over the holiday period

ECSA will be closed from 3pm on Thursday 24 December 2020 and will reopen at 9am on Monday 4 January 2021. 

We wish all South Australians a safe and happy holiday period.

Funding Disclosure & Registration Branch email access issue resolved

The technical issues being experienced with email address ecsa.fad@sa.gov.au have now been resolved and this email inbox is accessible again by ECSA staff.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Funding, Disclosure & Registration Branch on telephone 08 7424 7400 or esca.fad@sa.gov.au

Half Yearly Returns due for Registered Political Parties, Associated Entities and Third Parties

Agents of registered political parties or third parties and financial controllers of associated entities are reminded that sections 130ZN, 130ZO and 130ZP of the Electoral Act 1985 require the lodgement of a return containing the particulars prescribed in those sections for the period 1 July to 31 December 2020.

These returns must be lodged by Monday 1 February 2021.

Participants should note that 2 or more amounts of more than $200 received from the same person during a financial year should be aggregated and treated as 1 amount received by the relevant entity.

These returns can be lodged via the Funding and Disclosure Portal.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Funding, Disclosure & Registration Branch at ecsa.fad@sa.gov.au or telephone 08 7424 7400.

Half Yearly Returns for Donors Due

Donors are reminded that if they have made gifts with amounts or values of more than $5,510 during the period 2 July to 31 December 2020 to:

Read more: Half Yearly Returns for Donors Due

Funding Disclosure & Registration Branch email offline

The email address ecsa.fad@sa.gov.au for the Funding Disclosure & Registration Branch is currently experiencing technical difficulties and cannot be accessed by ECSA staff.

Users are asked to note that there may be a delay in responding to any queries sent to this email address.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Funding, Disclosure & Registration Branch by telephone 08 7424 7400 or send your queries for the time being to ECSAComments@sa.gov.au.

Public access to the ECSA office and holiday closures

Opening hours and holiday closure

The ECSA office at Level 6, 60 Light Square Adelaide is attended and open during normal office hours (9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday) until 3:00pm on Thursday 24 December 2020.

The office will be closed from 25 December 2020 to 3 January 2021 (inclusive), and will reopen from Monday 4 January 2021. 

Using the roll terminal

Those wishing to use the electronic roll terminal may do so during normal office hours.

Signing in 

All external visitors who attend the office are required to record their name and contact details on the visitor register.

Electoral roll statistics now available

One of the most important elements of state and council elections is the electoral roll, which is a list of the names and addresses of South Australians who are enrolled and eligible to vote.

In line with ECSA’s commitment to open data and transparency we have launched a new webpage with a range of enrolment data, updated regularly.

It also features downloadable files in XLS and CSV formats.

Visit our electoral roll statistics page.

ECSA office closed until further notice

In line with current SA Health advice the ECSA office at Level 6, 60 Light Square, Adelaide will be closed from 19 November 2020 until further notice.

During this period ECSA staff will be working remotely. You can still contact ECSA and the phones will continue to be answered during regular business hours as normal.

Please note there will be no public access to the electronic roll terminal until otherwise advised.

Electoral Districts Boundaries Commission Report released

The Electoral Districts Boundaries Commission (EDBC) has today released its Report on the redistribution of South Australia’s 47 House of Assembly electoral districts.

To access a copy of the Report, please visit the EDBC website (external link).

For enquiries or media comment please contact the EDBC Secretary, Mr David Gully, at EDBC.Secretary@sa.gov.au.

The EDBC is a separate authority to the Electoral Commission of South Australia.

Update to public access

Update 17 November 2020

Due to the recent COVID-19 outbreak in Adelaide, new temporary arrangements have been put in place to minimise any health risks to ECSA staff and visitors:

Public access and use of roll terminal

From 5pm on Tuesday 17 November 2020 access to the ECSA office on Level 6 will be restricted.

Those wishing to use the electronic roll terminal must make an appointment in advance. Access to the roll terminal will be limited to those with urgent or exceptional needs.

To make an appointment please email ECSAComments@sa.gov.au. Your email should include the reason you require access. If you are granted an appointment you will be provided with information on how to access the ECSA office.

For delivery access or any other access-related matter, please phone 1300 655 232.

Signing in

All external visitors will be required to record their name and contact details on the visitor register for contact tracing purposes.

Funding and Disclosure Portal offline for maintenance

The Funding and Disclosure Portal (Portal) provides a central location for the electronic lodgement and storage of disclosure returns required under Part 13A (the Funding, Expenditure and Disclosure provisions) of the Electoral Act 1985. The Portal permits registered users to complete and lodge disclosure returns online and allows members of the public to view returns and generate various reports from return data. 

The Portal will be offline for maintenance for a period of about 60 minutes from 6:00pm Australian Central Daylight Time, Thursday 12 November. During this period, the Portal will not be available to access and users will not be able to lodge any returns.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Funding, Disclosure & Registration Branch at ecsa.fad@sa.gov.auor telephone 08 7424 7400.

Provisional results for Mitcham (Gault Ward) election

Congratulations to Coralie Cheney who has been provisionally elected as the new Councillor for the City of Mitcham (Gault Ward).

Voting for this postal election closed at 12 noon on Monday 12 October 2020 and a total of seven candidates nominated for this vacancy.

Details are available on the supplementary election results page.

Our Disability Access and Inclusion Plan is now live!

Thanks to everyone who provided feedback on our draft Disability Access and Inclusion Plan (DAIP). After considering all suggestions, we are pleased to share the final version which is available on our DAIP 2020-2024 page.

This DAIP aims to improve the way that we provide electoral services to people living with disability, ensuring that all South Australians are respectfully included in the democratic process.

Party Registration Annual Returns Due

Registered political parties are reminded that section 43A of the Electoral Act 1985 requires the registered officer to lodge an annual return with ECSA to confirm the party’s continued eligibility for registration. Supporting documentation must also be lodged with the return and the requirement varies between parliamentary and non-parliamentary parties.  The return must be lodged by Wednesday 30 September 2020.

Failure to lodge the required return may be grounds for deregistration of the party.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Funding, Disclosure & Registration Branch at ecsa.fad@sa.gov.au or telephone 08 7424 7400.

Early voting at ECSA for ACT election

Are you currently living in South Australia and eligible to vote in ACT election?

We are offering in-person early voting in our office from Tuesday 29 September through to Friday 16 October.

What you need to know: 

Who: Eligible ACT voters.

Where: ECSA, Level 6, 60 Light Square, Adelaide SA 5000. 

When: From Tuesday 29 September to Friday 16 October 2020 (excluding weekends).

Time: Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm.

Appointment: No appointment is necessary. On arrival, please take the lift to Level 6.  

Safety and accessibility: The ECSA office is fully wheelchair accessible. Social distancing measures are also in place. On arrival you will be asked to sign into our attendance register and sanitise your hands.

For election details, please visit ACT election.

Early voting at ECSA for NZ election

Are you currently living in South Australia and eligible to vote in the NZ election?

We have you covered, with in-person early voting available in our office from Wednesday 30 September through to 4pm on Friday 16 October. 

What you need to know: 

Who: Eligible NZ voters.

Where: ECSA, Level 6, 60 Light Square, Adelaide SA 5000. 

When: From Wednesday 30 September to Friday 16 October 2020 (excluding weekends).

Time: Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm. Please note that on Friday 16 October voting will conclude at 4pm.

Appointment: No appointment is necessary. On arrival, please take the lift to Level 6.  

Safety and accessibility: The ECSA office is fully wheelchair accessible. Social distancing measures are also in place. On arrival you will be asked to sign into our attendance register and sanitise your hands.

For election details, please visit NZ election.

Funding and Disclosure Portal offline for maintenance

The Funding and Disclosure Portal (Portal) provides a central location for the electronic lodgment and storage of disclosure returns required under Part 13A (the Funding, Expenditure and Disclosure provisions) of the Electoral Act 1985. The Portal permits registered users to complete and lodge disclosure returns online and allows members of the public to view returns and generate various reports from return data.

The Portal will be offline for maintenance for a period of about 30 minutes from 4:30pm Australian Central Standard Time, Friday 18 September. During this period, the Portal will not be available to access and users will not be able to lodge any returns.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Funding, Disclosure & Registration Branch at ecsa.fad@sa.gov.au or telephone 08 7424 7400.

Annual Political Expenditure Returns Due

Section 130ZR of the Electoral Act 1985 requires any person who has incurred political expenditure of more than $5,381 during the financial year 1 July 2019 – 30 June 2020 to lodge an Annual Political Expenditure Return with the South Australian Electoral Commissioner. The return must be lodged by Tuesday 22 September 2020.

If a person does NOT have any disclosable political expenditure, then they are NOT required to lodge a return (i.e. spent $5,381 or under). Nil returns do not need to be lodged.

The Annual Political Expenditure Return can be lodged via the Funding and Disclosure Portal. A Political Expenditure Guide is available on the guides page.

Note:

1. Members of the South Australian Parliament and the Crown are excluded from the requirement to lodge this return.
2. The lodgement obligation extends to any person incurring political expenditure over the threshold. A ‘person’ also includes an unincorporated association (see section 130A).
3. The South Australian disclosure scheme only relates to State matters. Therefore, expenditure on Federal or local government campaigning, are not considered ‘political expenditure’ under the scheme.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Funding, Disclosure & Registration Branch at ecsa.fad@sa.gov.au or telephone 08 7424 7400.

New Councillor elected - District Council of Grant election

Congratulations to Gavin Clarke who has been elected as the new Councillor for the District Council of Grant (Central Ward).

Nominations closed at 12 noon on Thursday 10 September 2020 and as Mr Clarke was the only nominated candidate, he was elected unopposed and no election necessary. 

Watch the live stream of the ballot paper order for City of Mitcham

The draw for the ballot paper order for the City of Mitcham (Gault Ward) supplementary election will be live streamed from 4pm on Thursday 10 September.

You can view the live stream here.

Provisional results for City of Unley - (Parkside Ward) election

Congratulations to Jennifer BONHAM who has been provisionally elected as the new Councillor for the City of Unley (Parkside Ward). 

Voting for this postal election closed at 12noon Monday 7 September 2020, and a total of six candidates competed for this vacancy.

Details are available on the supplementary elections results page

Provisional results for Yorke Peninsula Council ( Gum Flat Ward ) election

Congratulations to Michael John MURDOCK who has been provisionally elected as the new Councillor for the Yorke Peninsula Council ( Gum Flat Ward ). 

Voting for this postal election closed at 12noon Monday 7 September 2020, and a total of seven candidates competed for this vacancy.

Details are available on the supplementary elections results page

Provisional results for City of Onkaparinga (Mid Coast Ward) election

Congratulations to Sue TONKIN who has been provisionally elected as the new Councillor for the City of Onkaparinga (Mid Coast Ward). 

Voting for this postal election closed at 12noon Monday 7 September 2020, and a total of eighteen candidates competed for this vacancy.

Details are available on the supplementary elections results page

ECSA research hub goes live!

Have you ever wondered how COVID-19 has impacted campaigning? Or perhaps you want to know why there is a decline in support for major parties in South Australia? 

Head over to our new online research hub for details on these topics, and much more. 

New research will be published every month, so keep an eye on our research page and follow us on Facebook (external link) to stay up to date.

Nominations are now open for District Council of Grant and City of Mitcham

Nominations are now open for the District Council of Grant (Central Ward) and City of Mitcham (Gault Ward) supplementary elections. 

If you are interested in representing your local community and would like to become a candidate, nomination kits are now available from the relevant council office. 

For more details about these elections, please click on a link below:

• City of Mitcham (Gault Ward)
• District Council of Grant (Central Ward)

Please note that your nomination must be lodged by 12 noon on Thursday 10 September 2020.

And don’t forget that as part of the application you are required to submit a profile (no more than 150 words) along with the nomination form. It can also be useful to include a recent photo (must predominantly show your head and shoulders and have been taken in the last 12 months) with your nomination. 

Draft report of the Electoral Districts Boundaries Commission

The Electoral Districts Boundaries Commission (EDBC) has today released its draft Report on the proposed redistribution of South Australia’s 47 House of Assembly electoral districts.

The EDBC is a separate entity to the Electoral Commission of South Australia.

To access a copy of the draft Report, please visit the EDBC website. 

For enquiries or media comment on the draft Report please contact the EDBC Secretary, Mr David Gully, at EDBC.Secretary@sa.gov.au 

Results for City of Mitcham election

Mr Rod Moss has been provisionally elected as the new Councillor for the City of Mitcham – Gault Ward.

Voting for this election was conducted by post, with a total of seven candidates competing for the vacancy. The ballot closed at 12 noon, Monday 10 August 2020.

Detailed results of the election are available on the supplementary election results page.

A second election for Gault Ward is currently underway. More information is available on the supplementary election webpage.

Northern Territory Election – early voting at ECSA

Electoral Commission SA (ECSA) is offering in-person early voting for the Northern Territory election.

Eligible Northern Territorian electors can vote at the ECSA office:

Where: Level 6, 60 Light Square, Adelaide SA 5000. 

When: From Monday 10 August to Friday 21 August 2020 between 9am and 5pm

Who: Eligible Northern Territory voters.

Appointment: You do not need to book in advance, but please be aware the ECSA building is locked. To access the building, please call 0401149133 when you arrive and a         
staff member will escort you into the office.  

Safety and accessibility: The ECSA office is fully wheelchair accessible. Social distancing measures are also in place. On arrival you will be asked to sign into our attendance register
and sanitise your hands.

For more information about the election please visit the Northern Territory Electoral Commission website. 

Live stream of ballot paper order for Onkaparinga, Unley, Yorke Peninsula

The draw for ballot paper order for the following council supplementary elections will be live streamed from 4pm on Thursday 6 August 2020.

To view the live stream click on one of the following links: 

City of Onkaparinga – Mid Coast Ward  

City of Unley - Parkside Ward

Yorke Peninsula Council - Gum Flat Ward

Have your say on our draft disability plan

We want to hear your thoughts on how South Australian council and state elections can be made accessible and inclusive for people living with disability. 

Consultation is now open on our draft Disability Access and Inclusion Plan and we encourage you to have a say in how we provide services, information, and facilities to people with disability.

For more details including how to provide feedback, visit our Draft Disability Access and Inclusion Plan.

Consultation closes on Friday 4 September.

SEWCDB election results

Elections for the South Eastern Water Conservation and Drainage Board (the Board) are held every four years. The Board has one member for each of the following electoral zones - Central Electoral Zone, Northern Electoral Zone and Southern Electoral Zone.

The most recent elections were held in July 2020. Mr Brett Nicholas McLaren was elected unopposed to represent the Central Electoral Zone and Mr Miles Weston Hannemann was elected unopposed to represent the Northern Electoral Zone.

Two nominations were accepted for the Southern Electoral Zone, and as a result ECSA conducted a postal vote, with voting closing on 27 July 2020.

The scrutiny and count of the returned ballots was conducted today (28 July 2020), with Mr John James Mullins obtaining an absolute majority and being declared elected.

For more information about the election please visit the South Eastern Water Conservation and Drainage Board 2020 webpage.

Legislative reform bill introduced in Parliament

The Electoral Commission SA’s (ECSA) 2018 State Election Report recommended a range of reforms to the way in which elections are run, with many requiring legislative change.

ECSA welcomes the Electoral (Miscellaneous) Amendment Bill 2020, which was introduced to the House of Assembly last week (to be debated at a future date). The Bill contains many of the reforms ECSA put forward in its Report.

Should the reforms be agreed to by the Parliament, ECSA will be able to streamline the voter experience and make voting more accessible with initiatives such as:

• Allowing you to vote at an early voting centre if it’s convenient for you (without needing a reason). 
• Allowing you to apply for a postal vote over the phone or online.
• The flexibility to allow us to send out mobile polling teams to offer voting services at sporting events, festivals, homeless shelters, places of worship and so on.

Details on how these changes will modernise the electoral process can be found in ECSA’s 2018 State Election Report. 

Nominations are open for Unley, Onkaparinga and Yorke Peninsula

Nominations are now open for the City of Onkaparinga (Mid Coast Ward), Yorke Peninsula Council (Gum Flat Ward) and City of Unley (Parkside Ward) supplementary elections. 

If you are interested in representing your local community and would like to become a candidate, nomination kits are now available from the relevant council office. 

For more details about these elections, please click on the link below:

• City of Onkaparinga (Mid Coast Ward)
• Yorke Peninsula Council (Gum Flat Ward)
• City of Unley (Parkside Ward).

Please note that your nomination must be lodged by 12 noon on Thursday 6 August 2020.

And don’t forget that as part of the application you are required to submit a profile (no more than 150 words) along with the nomination form. It can also be useful to include a recent photo (must predominantly show your head and shoulders and have been taken in the last 12 months) with your nomination. 

Provisional results for the District Council of Mount Remarkable, Telowie Ward

Stephen McCarthy has been provisionally elected as the new Councillor for the District Council of Mount Remarkable, Telowie Ward.

Voting for this election was conducted by post, with a total of two candidates competing for the vacancy. Voting closed at 12 noon, Monday 13 July 2020.

Details of the supplementary election are available on our council results page.

Nominations open - City of Mitcham Gault Ward

Nominations are now open for the supplementary election for Councillor for the Gault Ward, City of Mitcham. 

If you are interested in nominating to become a candidate, nomination kits are available from the Council Office at 131 Belair Road, Torrens Park or can be downloaded from our City of Mitcham election page.

As part of the application, you must submit a profile of no more than 150 words along with the nomination form. You are encouraged to submit a recent photo that has been taken within the last 12 months (usually head and shoulders) with your nomination.

Please note that nomination forms need to be lodged by 12 noon on Thursday 9 July 2020.

A briefing session for intending candidates will be held at 7pm on Wednesday 1 July 2020 at the Cumberland Park Community Centre (external link), 390 Goodwood Road, Cumberland Park.

For further information and key dates, visit our City of Mitcham election page.

Last chance to enrol to vote for Parkside Ward

A supplementary election will be held in the Parkside Ward area (City of Unley) following the recent resignation of a member of Council. 

For further information or to download an enrolment form, visit the City of Unley. 

Roll closing soon for Gum Flat Ward

Don’t miss out on your chance to have a say in the Gum Flat Ward supplementary election. Enrolment forms need to be completed and lodged by 5pm on Friday 30 June 2020.

To find out if you are eligible to vote or to download an enrolment form, please visit Yorke Peninsula Council.

Live stream of ballot paper order for District Council of Mount Remarkable election

Live stream of ballot paper order for District Council of Mount Remarkable election

The draw for ballot paper order for the District Council of Mount Remarkable (Telowie Ward) supplementary election will be live streamed from 4pm on Friday 12 June 2020.

The link to view the live stream is: https://www.youtube.com/LiveStream

Close of rolls City of Mitcham - Gault Ward

The voters roll for the supplementary election of one Councillor for the City of Mitcham (Gault Ward) closes at 5pm on Friday 29 May 2020.

You are entitled to vote in the election if you are on the State electoral roll. If you have recently turned 18 or changed your residential or postal address you must complete an electoral enrolment form.

If you are not eligible to enrol on the State electoral roll you may still be entitled to enrol to vote if you are one of the following:

• a resident or a non-Australian citizen who has lived at your residential address for one month or more, or
• an owner of an organisation or business, or
• an owner of a holiday home, or
• a sole owner, or group of owners, of a rateable property, or
• a sole occupier, or group of occupiers, of a rateable property, or
• a landlord of rateable property.

Enrolment forms to be included on the council voters roll are available from the City of Mitcham (external link).

Nominations to fill the vacancy open on Thursday 25 June 2020 and close at 12 noon Thursday 9 July 2020.

The election is conducted entirely by post. Completed ballot papers must reach the Deputy Returning Officer by 12 noon on Monday 10 August 2020. Voting is not compulsory for council elections. 

For more information visit the City of Mitcham supplementary election webpage. 

Mount Remarkable Candidates online briefing session with live Q&A

Nominations for a councillor vacancy for District Council of Mount Remarkable (Telowie Ward) open this Friday. To learn more about nominating join our online briefing session with live Q&A on the ECSA Facebook page from 4pm today.

Important nomination dates to note are as follows:

Monday 25 May 2020 - 4pm: Online briefing session
Friday 29 May 2020:  Nominations open
Friday 12 June 2020 - 12 Noon:  Nominations close

Find out more on our District Council of Mount Remarkable page.

Results for City of Adelaide election

Mr Greg Mackie has been elected as the new Councillor for the City of Adelaide Central Ward.

Voting for this election was conducted by post, with a total of eight candidates competing for the vacancy. The ballot closed at 12 noon, Monday 11 May 2020.

Detailed results of the election are available on the supplementary election results page.

South Eastern Water Conservation and Drainage Board elections

The Electoral Commission SA has commenced the conduct of elections for the South Eastern Water Conservation and Drainage Board. One board member will be elected for each of the following electoral zones - Central Electoral Zone, Northern Electoral Zone and Southern Electoral Zone.

A person is eligible to nominate and vote in the election if they are a landholder of more than 10 hectares of land in one of the defined electoral zones and must be included on the voters roll as at the closing date of 5pm, Monday 1 June 2020.

For more information about the election visit the South Eastern Water Conservation and Drainage Board webpage.

Electoral Districts Boundaries Commission Representations

The representations received by the Electoral Districts Boundaries Commission (EDBC) in respect of proposals for the redistribution of the boundaries of South Australia’s House of Assembly electoral districts have been made publicly available.

To view the representations, visit the EDBC website (external link)

Update on APY Executive Board elections

Following the raising of concerns by the APY Executive Board, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Premier, as Minister, has responded to their request to have the APY Executive Board general elections delayed, by proposing to exercise powers to determine alternative dates. Provisions under the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Land Rights Act 1981, while providing for the timing of the elections, allow the Minister to determine otherwise.

Should the Minister make a determination regarding the timing of the APY Executive Board elections, the Electoral Commissioner will make the necessary arrangements to schedule the elections on that basis and dates for the elections will be published on the ECSA website.

Live stream of ballot paper order for City of Adelaide election

The draw for ballot paper order for the City of Adelaide Central Ward supplementary election will be live streamed from 4pm on Thursday 9 April.

The link to view the live stream is: https://www.ecsa.sa.gov.au/live-stream

City of Adelaide candidate briefing video

Following the decision to cancel the face to face candidate briefing session for the City of Adelaide supplementary election that was scheduled for 24 March in line with public health directions, ECSA has produced a video recording contained useful tips and guidance for intending candidates. To watch the video, visit the City of Adelaide supplementary election webpage.

Public access to ECSA office

Lift now open

From Monday 28 September 2020 external visitors will be able to enter the building (60 Light Square) and access the lift to the ECSA office on Level 6 without assistance.

Signing in

All external visitors are still required to record their name and contact details on the visitor register.

Using the roll terminal

Those wishing to use the electronic roll terminal will still need to make an appointment in advance. To make an appointment please email ECSAComments@sa.gov.au  Your email should include the reason you require access.

Please note the Australian Electoral Commission office at 1 King William Street also offers public access to the electoral roll.

Opening hours 

The ECSA office is open from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays).

Aṉangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Executive Board elections

Dates for the 2020 Aṉangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Executive Board elections are now available, with Polling Day to take place on Wednesday 5 August 2020.

There are seven electorates within the APY Lands.  A male and a female are elected to represent each electorate on the APY Executive Board. A person is eligible to vote and nominate in the elections if they are Aṉangu, are 18 years of age or over, and are enrolled in one of the seven APY electorates.

More information about the elections is available on the APY Executive Board elections webpage.

Queensland local government elections

The Electoral Commission of South Australia (ECSA) has received a number of enquiries from Queenslanders about the Queensland local government elections on 28 March 2020.

For any enquiries about these elections please contact Electoral Commission Queensland (ECQ). Contact details are available on the ECQ website.

Provisional Results for District Franklin Harbour

Ms Rachel Louise Deer has been provisionally elected as the new councillor for the District Council Franklin Harbour

Voting for this election was conducted by post, and the ballot closed at 12 noon, Monday 24 February 2020.

Detailed results of the election are available on the supplementary election results page.

Close of roll for City of Adelaide supplementary election

Due to the resignation of a Mr Houssam Abiad, a supplementary election will be held to fill the vacancy of councillor for the City of Adelaide - Central Ward.

The voters roll for this supplementary election closes at 5pm on Friday 28 February 2020.

To have your say you must be enrolled to vote. Council elections are open to both Australian and non-Australian citizens who are over 18 and have been a resident for at least one month before the close of roll. To find out if you qualify to enrol please visit the City of Adelaide (external link).

Provisional Results for District Council of Yankalilla

Mr Bill Verwey has been provisionally elected as the new councillor for the District Council of Yankalilla

Voting for this election was conducted by post, and the ballot closed at 12 noon, Monday 24 February 2020.

Detailed results of the election are available on the supplementary election results page.

Provisional Results for City of Port Adelaide Enfield election

Ms Olivia Colombo has been provisionally elected as the new councillor for the City of Port Adelaide Enfield - Enfield Ward

Voting for this election was conducted by post, and the ballot closed at 12 noon, Monday 24 February 2020.

Detailed results of the election are available on the supplementary election results page.

Results for District Council of Ceduna

Mr Anthony William Nicholls has been elected as the new councillor for the District Council of Ceduna.

Voting for this election was conducted by post, and the ballot closed at 12 noon on Monday 9 December 2019.

Detailed results for the election are available on the supplementary election results page.

Results for District Council of Grant election

Mr Peter Duncan has been elected as the new councillor for the District Council of Grant - Central Ward.

Voting for this election was conducted by post, and the ballot closed at 12 noon on Monday 9 December 2019.

Detailed results for the election are available on the supplementary election results page.

Results for District Council of Mount Remarkable election

Mr Greg Prestridge has been elected as the new councillor for the District Council of Mount Remarkable - Willochra Ward

Voting for this election was conducted by post, and the ballot closed at 12 noon on Monday 9 December2019.

Detailed results for the election are available on the supplementary election results page.

Results for City of Marion supplementary election

Ms Sasha Mason has been elected as the new councillor for the City of Marion – Woodlands Ward.

Voting for this election was conducted by post, and the ballot closed at 12 noon on Monday 9 November 2019.

Detailed results for the election are available on the supplementary election results page.

ECSA Christmas Closure

Please be advised that the Electoral Commission of South Australia will close at 3pm on Tuesday 24th December 2019 and re-open again at 9am on Thursday 2nd January 2020.

Read more: ECSA Christmas Closure

Local Government Election Report 2018

ECSA’s Report on the 2018 Local Government Elections was tabled today in Parliament.

As well as providing a detailed account of the elections, the Report contains 21 new recommendations designed to improve the delivery of future council elections.

Key recommendations include:

• changing the timing of local government periodic elections so they do not occur within the same year as a state election.
  
  
• introducing a more common-sense approach to authorisation requirements for electoral material.
  
  
• replacing overseas and interstate postal voting with an electronic system for the delivery and return of ballot papers.
  
  

Read the Report here: https://ecsa.sa.gov.au/about-ecsa/publications/council-election-reports 

Results District Council of Robe

The results of a supplementary election of an Area Councillor for the District Council of Robe are now available.

Read more: Results District Council of Robe

Results District Council of Coober Pedy - Conduct of polls

The results for the District Council of Coober Pedy are now available. Voting for this poll was conducted by post, and ballots closed at 12 noon on Monday 21 October 2019.

You can find the results on the District Council of Coober Pedy Conduct of Polls page.

Redistribution proceedings to commence

The Electoral Districts Boundaries Commission is calling for written representations on constitutional amendments prior to convening its initial hearing in December.

Advertisements calling for written representations to be submitted by 5:00pm on Friday November 2019 have been published. A preliminary hearing to commence at 10:00am on Tuesday 3 December 2019 in the Supreme Court Building, 1 Gouger Street Adelaide, will address representations on the effects of the amendments to section 83 of the Constitution Act 1934. Further representations as to demographic data, boundary proposals or related matters will be invited at a later date and subsequent hearings will be scheduled and advised accordingly.

The proposed schedule of events is available on the Electoral Districts Boundaries Commission website (external link). Advertisements appeared in South Australian and national press on the weekend of 19 and 20 October 2019 and will appear in regional local papers over the next week.

Nominations open - three APY Executive Board elections

Nominations are now open for supplementary elections for the APY Lands Executive Board. There are vacancies for:

Read more: Nominations open - three APY Executive Board elections

Report into funding and disclosure legislation

Electoral Commission SA’s report on the operation and administration of South Australia’s funding, expenditure and disclosure legislation was tabled in the Parliament this week.

In addition to providing an overview of the funding, expenditure and disclosure legislation, the Report contains 44 recommendations that ECSA believes are necessary to facilitate the efficient and effective operation of this legislation.

Click to read the report.

Wattle Range Council supplementary election results

The provisional results of the supplementary election of a Ward Councillor for Wattle Range Council (Corcoran Ward) are now available on the election webpage.

Read more: Wattle Range Council supplementary election results

Live stream draw for position - Lower Eyre Peninsula

At 4pm Thursday 5 September 2019 we will be live streaming the draw for positions of candidate names on the ballot paper for the District Council of Lower Eyre Peninsula.

Read more: Live stream draw for position - Lower Eyre Peninsula

Review of APY Electorates

The Electoral Commissioner has commenced a review of the APY Electorates in preparation for the 2020 APY Executive Board elections. Read more here APY Electorate Review page..

Close of rolls – APY, Coober Pedy and Robe

Rolls close at 5pm on Friday 30 August 2019 for the following:

Read more: Close of rolls – APY, Coober Pedy and Robe

Annual Political Expenditure Returns Due

Section 130ZR of the Electoral Act 1985 requires any person who has incurred political expenditure of more than $5,310 during the financial year 1 July 2018 – 30 June 2019 to lodge an Annual Political Expenditure Return with the South Australian Electoral Commissioner. The return must be lodged by Monday 23 September 2019.

If a person does NOT have any disclosable political expenditure, then they are NOT required to lodge a return (ie spent $5,310 or under). Nil returns do not need to be lodged.

The Annual Political Expenditure Return can be lodged via the Funding and Disclosure Portal. An Annual Political Expenditure Return Guide and a Political Expenditure Guide are available on the guides page.

Note:

1. Members of the South Australian Parliament and the Crown are excluded from the requirement to lodge this return.
2. The lodgement obligation extends to any person incurring political expenditure over the threshold. A ‘person’ also includes an unincorporated association (see section 130A).
3. The South Australian disclosure scheme only relates to State matters. Therefore, expenditure on Federal or local government campaigning, are not considered ‘political expenditure’ under the scheme.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Funding, Disclosure & Registration Branch on 7424 7400.

2018 State Election Statistics Report

ECSA’s Statistics Report on the 2018 South Australian State Election was tabled in Parliament today (31 July 2019), and is now available in the publications section of our website.

Supplementary election for District Council of Lower Eyre Peninsula

A supplementary election will be conducted to fill a vacancy for Area Councillor for the District Council of Lower Eyre Peninsula.

Read more: Supplementary election for District Council of Lower Eyre Peninsula

Australian Conservatives (SA) de-registered

The Australian Conservatives (SA) has been de-registered pursuant to a voluntary application for de-registration under section 44 of the Electoral Act 1985.

Read more: Australian Conservatives (SA) de-registered

Supplementary election for Wattle Range Council - Corcoran Ward

A supplementary election will be conducted to fill a vacancy for Ward Councillor for Corcoran Ward, Wattle Range Council.

A list of election dates and other information is available on our Wattle Range Council supplementary election webpage.

New report on improving truth in political advertising

A detailed report has been published by University College London on how information and discourse in election campaigns in the UK can be improved.

As part of his extensive research the report’s co-author Dr Alan Renwick visited South Australia, which has the strongest laws in the world regarding truth in political advertising, and interviewed members of parliament, academics, media and Deputy Electoral Commissioner David Gully about the legislative provision (section 113 of South Australia’s Electoral Act 1985). As a result the report includes a detailed discussion about the history and efficacy of this law in South Australia.

A copy of the report is available on the University College London website

Have you received an Apparent Failure to Vote Notice from us?

On Wednesday 1 May 2019, the Electoral Commission SA issued notices to electors who, according to our records, failed to vote at the Cheltenham and Enfield by-elections held on Saturday 9 February 2019. This notice is an opportunity for electors to provide a reason for their apparent failure to vote. It is not a fine.

If an elector fails to provide a valid and sufficient reason for not voting or fails to respond by Wednesday 29 May 2019, they will be issued with a fine.

If you have received this notice, or did not vote at the by-elections, please contact us as soon as possible to avoid further action in the non-voters process. Another person may contact us on your behalf if you are unable to do so.

Non-Voters Customer Service
Phone: 1300 655 232
Email: ecsa.nonvoters@sa.gov.au

Tasmanian Legislative Council Election

Close of rolls Mid Murray Council - Shearer Ward

The voters roll for the supplementary election of one Councillor in the Mid Murray Council closes at 5pm on Tuesday 30 April 2019.

You are entitled to vote in the election if you are on the State electoral roll. If you have recently turned 18 or changed your residential or postal address you must complete an electoral enrolment form that is available from the Electoral Commission SA or a post office.

If you are not eligible to enrol on the State electoral roll you may still be entitled to enrol to vote if you are one of the following:

• a resident or a non-Australian citizen who has lived at your residential address for one month or more, or
• an owner of an organisation or business, or
• an owner of a holiday home, or
• a sole owner, or group of owners, of a rateable property, or
• a sole occupier, or group of occupiers, of a rateable property, or
• a landlord of rateable property.

Enrolment forms to be included on the council voters roll are available from the Mid Murray Council (external link).

Nominations to fill the vacancy open on Thursday 23 May 2019 and close at 12 noon Thursday 6 June May 2019.

The election is conducted entirely by post. Completed ballot papers must reach the Deputy Returning Officer by 12 noon on Monday 8 July 2019. Voting is not compulsory for council elections. 

APY Supplementary election result - Mimili

Following the close of nominations and relevant checks for candidate suitability, one eligible nomination was received. As Returning Officer for the APY Executive Board Supplementary Election, I, Mick Sherry, declare Mr Willy Pompey duly elected as APY Executive Board Member for Mimili pursuant to clause 7 of Schedule 3 of the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Land Rights Act 1981.

2019 federal election

A federal election has been announced for Saturday 18 May 2019.

Federal elections are administered by the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC). We (Electoral Commission SA) administer state and council elections.

For information about the federal election please visit the AEC website (external link) or contact the AEC using its online enquiry form or by phone.

Close of rolls Kangaroo Island Council

The voters roll for the supplementary election of two Councillors in the Kangaroo Island Council closes at 5pm on Friday 29 March 2019.

You are entitled to vote in the election if you are on the State electoral roll. If you have recently turned 18 or changed your residential or postal address you must complete an electoral enrolment form that is available from the Electoral Commission SA or a post office.

If you are not eligible to enrol on the State electoral roll you may still be entitled to enrol to vote if you are one of the following:

• a resident or a non-Australian citizen who has lived at your residential address for one month or more, or
• an owner of an organisation or business, or
• an owner of a holiday home, or
• a sole owner, or group of owners, of a rateable property, or
• a sole occupier, or group of occupiers, of a rateable property, or
• a landlord of rateable property.

Enrolment forms to be included on the council voters roll are available from the Kangaroo Island Council (external link).

Nominations to fill the vacancy open on Friday 26 April 2019 and close at 12 noon Friday 10 May 2019.

The election is conducted entirely by post with ballot materials to reach the Deputy Returning Officer by 12 noon on Tueday 11 June 2019. Voting is not compulsory for council elections. 

Report on the 2018 State Election now available

ECSA’s Report on the 2018 State Election report was tabled in Parliament today by The Hon. Vickie Chapman MP, Attorney-General. 

The report proposes a number of reforms to the Electoral Act that will modernise and streamline the conduct of elections, provide better voting services to electors and enable counting of votes in a more timely manner.  

An electronic copy of the Report is available on the ECSA website at 

https://ecsa.sa.gov.au/about-ecsa/publications/publications-state-election-and-by-election-reports 

APY Supplementary election – Mimili

Nominations are now open for the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Executive Board supplementary election (1 male vacancy) in Mimili.

Nominations opened on Tuesday 26 February 2019 and close on 4pm (CST) Tuesday 5 March 2019.

Nominations forms are available on this website or in person at the Mimili Anangu School.

Visit our APY page to learn more about how to nominate.

Text message to electors about by-elections

Electoral Commission SA will send a text message to all enrolled electors in the districts of Cheltenham and Enfield for whom we have a mobile number tomorrow morning as a reminder to vote in the compulsory by-elections. The SMS will only be sent to those who have not already voted early or by post.

Read more in our media release

Frequently asked questions about the by-elections

Frequently asked questions about the by-elections

Over the past few weeks our call center has received hundreds of phone calls a day about the by-elections.

The top five most popular questions are:

1. What is this by-election?

Two members of the House of Assembly (Mr Jay Weatherill and Mr John Rau) have retired from Parliament. These by-elections are to elect new members for the state districts of Cheltenham and Enfield.

2. Do I have to vote?

Yes. If you are enrolled in the district of Cheltenham or Enfield it is compulsory to vote. You can check your enrolment and district instantly online at https://check.aec.gov.au/

3. What’s my closest polling booth?

Visit our interactive map and type in your address https://ecsa.sa.gov.au/map

4. Where can I vote early?

The addresses and opening hours of our early voting centres are available at https://ecsa.sa.gov.au/…/cheltenham-and-enfield-by-election

5. Do I have to take my EasyVote Card?

It is not compulsory to take your EasyVote Card but if you do it will make the voting process faster.

Half-yearly returns available for viewing.

The half-yearly Political Party Returns, Associated Entity Returns and Donor Returns for the period up to 31 December 2018 are now available to be viewed on the Funding and Disclosure Portal.

For more information about disclosures, please contact our Funding, Disclosure & Registration Branch on 7424 7400.

How-to-vote cards for the Cheltenham and Enfield by-elections

How-to-vote cards for the Cheltenham and Enfield by-elections are now available on our website . It is your choice whether you follow a how-to-vote card when you vote

Early voting now open for by-elections

Early voting for the 2019 Cheltenham and Enfield by-elections opened today, Tuesday 29 January. 

Read more: Early voting now open for by-elections