Council elections (local government)

Voting in council elections is conducted by post. All election materials, including your ballot papers, are mailed directly to the postal address you provided on the electoral roll. 

The Electoral Commission SA automatically mails postal voting packs to each voter after nominations close. The website will contain information on when to return your ballot papers. 

State elections

Early voting

If you are unable to attend a polling booth on polling day, you may be eligible to vote at an early voting centre. During a state election, early voting centres open about 2 weeks before polling day and are located in South Australia, interstate and some overseas consulates and embassies. Strict eligibility criteria apply.

View eligibility criteria

You are eligible to vote at an early voting centre if, on polling day, you:

  • 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 place of confinement
  • have your address suppressed on the electoral roll (a silent elector)

Polling day

Polling booths open from 8:00 am until 6:00 pm on polling day. You can vote at any polling booth in the state, however voting outside your electoral district may take longer because you will need to cast a declaration vote.

Remote voting

Our mobile polling teams offer voting services across remote and regional South Australia in the fortnight prior to polling day. Locations, dates and times are advertised on our website and in metropolitan and regional newspapers closer to the election.

Voting in a hospital or a nursing home

To allow voters who are residents of hospitals, nursing homes and other similar institutions the opportunity to vote at state elections and by-elections, we send trained electoral teams to a large number of institutions. Locations, dates and times are available on the website closer to the election. Patients and residents of these institutions may also apply for a postal vote.