South Australian voters choose representatives to make decisions on their behalf at elections. Decisions made by these representatives and other elected members affect almost every aspect of our daily lives.
This section of our website will help people understand how the South Australian voting systems work and the rights and responsibilities of voters.
The list below has some of the responsibilities of each level of government.
Federal government (compulsory voting):
- Defence
- Immigration
- Social services
- Higher education
- Medicare and health funding
- Taxation
State government (compulsory voting):
- Law and order
- Schools and education
- Hospitals and health services
- Roads and highways
- Transport
- Housing
Local council (non compulsory):
- Local roads and footpaths
- Libraries
- Child care centres
- Recycling and waste management
- Sporting facilities and recreation reserves
- Town planning and building regulations
Voting in South Australia is compulsory if you are an Australian citizen, and 18 years of age or older.
Your vote is important and all votes are equal.