Participating in council elections
There are many ways you can participate in council elections. This can be through:
Enrolling to vote
Enrolling to the state electoral roll or your council’s voters roll is the first step towards participating in your council elections.
You must be enrolled to be eligible for nomination to become a candidate, and to vote in the council elections.
Council elections are open to a broader range of people than state elections. It's not just Australian citizens or residents who can enrol to vote.
The broad categories for council election enrolment are:
- Residents/Individuals
- Resident/Business owners
- Students
- International students
- Landlords
- Body corporates
- Group (joint owners/occupiers of a facility).
Nominating for council
If you intend to run for council, you must submit a nomination to become a council candidate. While there are no special qualifications or experience required to become a candidate, there are rules for eligibility such as being an Australian citizen.
If you are considering becoming a candidate in the next council elections, look out for the free information sessions held by the Local Government Association of South Australia and the Electoral Commission of South Australia.
Voting
The third phase of council elections is voting. Voting in council elections is not compulsory in South Australia. However, you are strongly encouraged to participate.
In council elections, your vote can determine who represents you in your council area. Unlike state or federal elections, council members can be elected with just a few hundred votes.
Voting in council elections is by post or if you are eligible, by telephone. This makes elections easy and convenient for anyone to cast their vote.
Working at council elections
The Electoral Commission of South Australia offers work opportunities at council elections. This is not an ongoing position. Positions are made available throughout an election period.