Council candidates

Local Government Council Elections – Update

The next periodic local government council elections will now be held in April 2027 (previously scheduled for November 2026).

On this page

↓ Overview
↓ Acts and Regulations
↓ Candidate eligibility
↓ Candidate responsibilities
↓ Forms and handbooks
↓ Responsibilities as a council member

Overview

This page outlines the key rules, responsibilities and requirements for standing as a candidate in South Australian council elections. It explains who is eligible to nominate, what disqualifies a person from being a candidate, and the obligations candidates must meet during the election period — including disclosure, advertising and conduct requirements.

The information is drawn from the Local Government (Elections) Act 1999, associated regulations, and relevant provisions of the Local Government Act 1999 and City of Adelaide Act 1998.

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Acts and Regulations

Council elections are governed by the following legislation:

These should be read together with the: Local Government Act 1999 and the City of Adelaide Act 1998.

Candidate eligibility and ineligibility

Eligibility

Under Part 6 of the Local Government (Elections) Act 1999, you are eligible to stand as a candidate if you:

  • are an Australian citizen, and
  • at the time the electoral roll closes, you are:
    • enrolled in the council area you are contesting, or
    • the nominee of a body corporate on the voters roll, or
    • the nominee of a group on the voters roll, or
    • a person (or nominee of a body corporate or group) left on the roll in error.

Additional rules apply to nominees of bodies corporate and groups, including requirements relating to membership, officer status, age and the limit of one nomination per election.

Ineligibility

You are not eligible to be a candidate if you:

  • are a member of an Australian Parliament
  • are an undischarged bankrupt or receiving the benefit of a law for the relief of insolvent debtors
  • have been sentenced to imprisonment and are, or could become, liable to serve the sentence or any remainder
  • are an employee of the council
  • are disqualified from election by court order under the Local Government Act 1999
  • are suspended from office under section 55B of the Local Government Act 1999

Additional restrictions apply:

  • Supplementary elections: you cannot stand if you are a member of another council
  • Any election: you cannot stand if you are already a candidate for election as a member of another council

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Candidate responsibilities

Candidates in South Australian council elections have important responsibilities designed to support fair, transparent and lawful participation. These include:

  • ensuring all electoral material is properly authorised
  • ensuring material is not inaccurate or misleading
  • lodging disclosure returns during and after the election period
  • complying with restrictions on electoral advertising
  • avoiding conduct that may constitute an illegal practice under the Act.

Disclosure returns

Candidates must lodge disclosure returns at the times required under the Local Government (Elections) Act 1999 and the City of Adelaide Act 1998.

👉Learn more about disclosure requirements

Electoral advertising

In this guidance, electoral advertising refers to 'electoral material' as defined in the Local Government (Elections) Act 1999.

Restrictions apply to electoral advertising both during and outside an election period. These requirements are set out in Part 7 of the Act. The Electoral Commission SA cannot provide advice on how these provisions should be interpreted. If you are unsure how the law applies to your circumstances, you should seek independent legal advice.

👉 Learn more about electoral advertising

Illegal practices

Part 12 of the Local Government (Elections) Act 1999 sets out a range of illegal practices, including:

  • bribery
  • intimidation
  • interference with voting processes
  • dishonest conduct
  • other actions that undermine the integrity of an election

Penalties apply for anyone who engages in this behaviour.

👉 Learn more about illegal practices

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Forms and handbooks

Forms and handbooks are currently being developed and will be published once finalised.

Responsibilities as a member of a council

Councils deliver many of the services that make South Australia a great place to live and work, including libraries, playgrounds, sporting facilities and waste and recycling.

Becoming a councillor or mayor means helping shape policies and decisions that affect the short and long‑term future of your local community.

More information is available on the council elections website.

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