On the day of the South Australian state and First Nations Voice to Parliament elections, numerous issues arose, including problems during the counting process. Acting Electoral Commissioner Leah McLay has formally requested Attorney-General Kyam Maher to consider postponing the upcoming council elections scheduled for November.
Mr. Maher indicated that a decision regarding this request would be made in the near future, but any changes would require approval from the state parliament. McLay is advocating for a delay of the council elections until mid-2027 while a review of the March elections, which were marred by complications, is underway.
Originally set for November, the local government elections may need to be postponed due to what McLay described as “insufficient” time to implement any potential recommendations from the review. The proposed delay would affect all councils in the state, with the exception of Roxby Downs, which is managed by an administrator.
The elections for both the state and the First Nations Voice to Parliament were conducted simultaneously and encountered various challenges, such as difficulties in staffing polling booths, technical issues with computer logins on election day, confusion regarding the voting process for the First Nations election, and the discovery of uncounted votes a month post-election.
Former Australian Electoral Commissioner Tom Rogers is currently undertaking a review of both the state and First Nations Voice elections, while the Electoral Commission of South Australia is conducting its own assessment.
McLay emphasized that her request for a delay was not made lightly, acknowledging the potential impact on councils. However, given the circumstances, she expressed discomfort with proceeding with the elections as planned for November. She has communicated her request to the Local Government Association of South Australia and all 67 affected councils in the region.
Attorney-General Maher expressed his frustration with the election’s execution and the subsequent scrutiny process. He mentioned that he met with electoral commission officials last week, where concerns regarding the capacity to manage the council elections were raised. Following a formal advisory received on Thursday, the matter was discussed in a cabinet meeting on Tuesday.
“We are frustrated and disappointed with how the election was conducted, and the scrutiny that followed,” Maher remarked. While he affirmed the legitimacy of the election results, he stressed the disappointment regarding the overall management of the election.
A decision on the delay is expected in the coming days, although any adjustment to the election date must be approved by state parliament. Maher noted that an independent review is anticipated to be completed by September or October, and he pledged to take McLay’s request seriously given the forthcoming recommendations.
Heather Holmes-Ross, president of the Local Government Association SA, stated that the association is evaluating the potential ramifications of the proposed delay on councils. She highlighted several practical considerations, such as timing, legislative requirements, budgetary processes, and the duration of elected officials’ terms. “This is a late call, but integrity in democratic elections is essential, and we respect the acting commissioner’s request in that context,” she added.
In South Australia, participation in council elections is not mandatory. The elections are typically conducted via postal ballot, with only approximately one-third of eligible voters casting their ballots. The last instance of a delayed council election occurred when the Adelaide City Council election was postponed from 2006 to 2007 to facilitate a representation review.
