Postal applications are no longer available via Australia Post Offices or any other location. Electors can only apply via the official link above. If you require assistance, please contact us via our call centre 1300655232. Postal ballot packs will be in the mail from 10 March 2026.
| 13 March | Out of state postal voting applications close |
| 17 March | Inside state postal voting applications close |
How to complete your postal vote (PDF)
Inside your postal ballot pack (that you will receive after the 10 March), you’ll find your ballot papers and a declaration envelope — everything you need to cast your vote in the 2026 State Election. To make your vote count, simply complete your ballot papers and sign the declaration envelope provided. Be sure to do this before 6pm (South Australian time) on polling day, 21 March 2026, so your vote is included. You will need a witness who is aged 18 years or older and is not a candidate for this election when you sign the envelope. Your witness must watch you sign. Make sure your witness reads this leaflet and knows what to do.
INSTRUCTIONS
- You will have 2 ballot papers, a small green paper for the House of Assembly, and a large white paper for the Legislative Council to complete. If you need assistance, watch the video on the ECSA website ecsa.sa.gov.au. You can also see the ‘How to Vote’ cards on the website.
- Instructions are included on each ballot paper to follow. Cast your vote in private by filling out your ballot papers yourself. Fold your ballot papers so your choices are hidden and insert them into your Declaration Vote Envelope.
- Complete Section 2 by providing the answer to your security question or leave blank if you do not have one.
- Sign the declaration: In Section 3 of the envelope, sign the ‘Elector declaration’ while your witness watches. If you cannot sign yourself (and have a doctor’s certificate), an assistant can sign for you.
- Witness: Ask your witness to fill out and sign Section 4 of your declaration envelope.
- Keep everything together: Do not remove the declaration section from the envelope, or your vote won’t count.
- Post your vote: Put the Declaration Vote Envelope into the reply-paid envelope and follow the How to Return instructions.
How to return your vote (PDF)
By mail: Post it via an Australia Post letterbox. It must arrive no later than seven days after polling day (28 March 2026).
By hand in South Australia: Take it to any polling booth before 6pm on polling day (21 March 2026).
By hand in another State/Territory: Deliver it to an Electoral Commission office before 5pm on the Friday before polling day (20 March 2026).
If you are overseas: You may be able to deliver it to an international office representative. It must arrive before 5pm on the Friday (20 March 2026) before polling day.
Eligibility
If you’re unable to attend a voting centre in person, you can apply for a postal vote, if
- are more than 8 km from a polling booth
- are travelling
- are ill, infirm or disabled – preventing you from attending a polling booth
- are due to give birth shortly
- are caring for someone who is ill, infirm or disabled - preventing you from attending a polling booth
- have religious beliefs - preventing you from attending a polling booth
- are working and unable to leave your workplace to vote
- are a resident of a declared institution being a hospital, convalescent home, nursing home, home for the aged, hostel for the aged or infirm, prison or other places of confinement
- have your address suppressed on the electoral roll (a silent elector)
- are subject to a direction under the Emergency Management Act 2004 requiring you to quarantine or isolate during the hours of polling.
Permanent postal voter
ECSA maintains a register of voters who are permanently unable to attend a polling place during state elections or by-elections and who meet prescribed eligibility criteria. These individuals are classified as a 'Registered Declaration Voter' for state elections and as 'General Postal Voter' for federal elections. Once registered, ECSA automatically sends out voting packs for every state election or by-election. You do not need to re-apply for future elections.
Apply to become a 'Registered Declaration Voter'
To join the register of permanent postal voters, you will need to complete and sign a form via the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) website:
*This is an external link to the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) which manages registrations for ECSA. One form allows you to register both as a registered declaration voter for South Australian elections and as a general postal voter for parliamentary elections. For any questions about the register, call the AEC on 13 23 26.
Local government election postal voting
Voting in council elections, including supplementary council elections, is conducted by post. All election materials, including your ballot papers, are automatically mailed directly to the postal address you provided on the electoral roll. It's important you keep your address details up to date.
Once nominations close for a council election (including a supplementary election), ballot papers are printed and postal ballot packs are sent to your nominated postal address. More information can be found on this website at the time of an election.