Elections

Ballot Paper

The official voting document mailed to you during the election period. The Electoral Commission of South Australia (ECSA) is responsible for issuing of ballot papers. Ballot papers are sent by post in February or March 2027 (to be confirmed). You must return your completed ballot paper by 5:00 pm on Wednesday, 7 April 2027.

Body Corporate

A legal term for a company or incorporated organisation (as opposed to an individual person). A body corporate can be enrolled on the voters roll if it is the sole owner or sole occupier of rateable property in a ward — but it cannot vote directly. It must enrol a natural person (an officer) to vote on its behalf. See also: Nominated Person, Officer.

Body Corporate Nomination Form (Form 2)

The form a company or organisation uses to enrol an eligible officer to vote on its behalf. This form must be submitted to the City of Adelaide CEO before the roll closes at 5:00 pm on Monday 4 January 2027.

Candidate

A person who has nominated and can be voted into Council by the community.

CEO (Chief Executive Officer)

The CEO of the City of Adelaide is responsible for managing and maintaining the Council voters roll. The CEO also appoints a default person to vote on behalf of any body corporate or group that fails to nominate enrol a representative before the roll closes. The CEO is also responsible to for providing information to support voter participation, inform the community about candidates, share election outcomes, and to ensure neutrality and avoid any perceived influence by Council Members.

City of Adelaide Act 1998 (SA)

The South Australian law that sets out the rules for City of Adelaide Council elections, including who is eligible to vote, how enrolment works, and the nomination enrolment process for companies and groups.

Compulsory Voting

Voting in City of Adelaide Council elections is NOT compulsory — it is voluntary. However, if you are eligible, you may be automatically enrolled to vote..

Council Voters Roll

The official list of people entitled to vote in City of Adelaide Council elections. It is separate from the State electoral roll and is managed by the Council's CEO. It includes residents (drawn from the House of Assembly roll) as well as non-resident property owners, companies, bodies corporate, and groups.

Councillor

An elected representative of a ward or the broader City area. The 2027 election will determine the Lord Mayor and all ward and area councillors.

Default Appointment

If a body corporate or group does not enrol a voting representative before the roll closes (Monday 4 January 2027), the Council CEO will appoint one on their behalf — this is called a default appointment. Default notices will be issued between 5–18 January 2027. Entities then have until 25 January 2027 to submit a different nomination if they wish.

Default Person

The natural person appointed by the CEO to vote on behalf of a body corporate or group when no enrolment has been received. For a body corporate, the CEO typically uses ASIC records to identify the first eligible officer alphabetically. For a group, the CEO uses Council records.

ECSA — see Electoral Commission of South Australia (ECSA)

The SA government body that manages the South Australian House of Assembly electoral roll. ECSA provides voter data to the Council CEO and manages the dispatch of ballot papers. For enrolment help, call ECSA on 1300 655 232.

Election

An organised and democratic process.

Elector

A person who has the right to vote in an election.

Electoral Commission of South Australia (ECSA)

ECSA are an independent office which forms part of the South Australian Government. ECSA conducts parliamentary state, and local council general elections every four years.

Eligible Person

A person who meets all the requirements to vote on behalf of a body corporate or group. They must be: aged 18 or over; enrolled on the SA House of Assembly roll (a State Elector); an officer or member of the relevant body corporate or group; and not already enrolled in the same ward in their own right.

Enrolled Person

The eligible person chosen by a body corporate or group to vote on their behalf. The enrolled person must be an officer or member of the entity, a State Elector, aged 18 or over, and not already enrolled in the same ward in their own right.

Enrolment

The process of being added to the Council voters roll. Residents enrolled on the SA House of Assembly roll at a City of Adelaide address are enrolled automatically. Non-resident property owners, companies, and groups must apply using the relevant form. All applications must be received by 5pm, Monday 4 January 2027.

Form 1 — Natural Person Application

The form used by an individual (natural person) who is a non-resident sole owner or non-resident sole occupier (tenant) of a rateable property to apply to be enrolled on the voters roll. A separate form is required for each property in a different ward.

Form 2 — Body Corporate Nomination

The form used by a company or organisation to enrol an eligible officer to vote on its behalf. Must be received by 5pm, Monday 4 January 2027.

Form 3 — Group Nomination

The form used where two or more people, companies, or a combination are joint owners or joint occupiers of the same rateable property. One eligible person is enrolled to vote on behalf of the whole group. Must be received by 5pm, Monday 4 January 2027.

Group

Where two or more people, companies, or a combination of both jointly own or jointly occupy the same rateable property, they are treated as a group for voting purposes. The group as a whole has one vote, and must enrol one eligible person to cast it.

Group Name

A group can choose to apply for an official name on the voters roll. The name must end with the word 'Group'. The Council CEO can reject names that are obscene or frivolous.

Group Occupier

Two or more people or companies that together occupy (but do not own) the same rateable property as tenants. The group has one vote between them.

Group Owner

Two or more people or companies that together own the same rateable property. This includes a head lessee who is not in occupation. The group has one vote between them.

Head Lessee

A person or entity that holds a lease over a property and sub-leases it to others. A head lessee who is NOT in occupation of the property is treated as an owner (not an occupier) for voting purposes.

House of Assembly Roll (HoA Roll)

The South Australian State electoral roll — the official list of people eligible to vote in State elections. Being enrolled on the HoA roll is a requirement for voting in City of Adelaide Council elections and is managed by ECSA.

Joint occupier

Your property is jointly occupied by businesses, individual people or a combination of both.

Joint owner

Your property is jointly owned by businesses, individual people or a combination of both.

Local Government Association of South Australia (LGA)

The LGA is the peak representative body for local government in South Australia.

Lord Mayor

The directly elected head of the Adelaide City Council. All eligible voters — regardless of ward — can vote for the Lord Mayor.

Lord Mayor Election

The election for the position of Lord Mayor. Held at the same time as the ward and area councillor elections. Every enrolled voter can participate.

Natural Person

An individual human being, as distinct from a company or organisation. For voting purposes, only a natural person can actually cast a vote — companies and groups must enrol a natural person to vote on their behalf.

Non-Resident Occupier

A person (or entity) who occupies rateable property in the City of Adelaide as a tenant but does not live there as their home. A non-resident occupier may apply to be enrolled to vote in respect of that property, provided they are a State Elector.

Non-Resident Owner

A person (or entity) who owns rateable property in the City of Adelaide but does not live there. A non-resident owner may apply to be enrolled to vote in respect of that property, provided they are a State Elector.

Occupier

A person or entity that occupies (uses as a tenant) rateable property in the City of Adelaide. Occupiers may be eligible to enrol to vote if they meet the other requirements (e.g. being a State Elector, or — for companies and groups — enrolling an eligible person).

Officer (of a Body Corporate)

A director, manager, secretary, public officer, or any other person who takes part in the management of a company's affairs. Only officers of a body corporate can be enrolled to vote on its behalf.

Our Council area or City of Adelaide (CoA)

City of Adelaide council covers Adelaide CBD and North Adelaide (post codes 5000 and 5006).

Owner

A person, company, or group that holds legal ownership of rateable property in the City of Adelaide. Property owners who do not live at the property may be eligible to enrol to vote in the ward where the property is located.

Periodic

Something that happens from time-to-time. For example, a City of Adelaide general election happens every four years.

Permanent Resident

A person who lives in Australia permanently but is not an Australian citizen. From 1 January 2026, permanent residents are no longer eligible to vote in City of Adelaide Council elections, even if they were enrolled and voted in previous elections.

Polling Day

The deadline for returning your completed ballot paper. For the 2026 election, polling closes at 5pm on Wednesday, 7 April 2027. There is no in-person polling place — all voting is by post.

Postal Vote

All voting in City of Adelaide Council elections is by post. Ballot packs are mailed by ECSA to enrolled voters in February or March 2027 (to be confirmed). Completed ballot papers must be returned to ECSA by 5pm on Wednesday, 7 April 2027. There is no physical polling booth to attend.

Rateable Property

Property in the City of Adelaide that is subject to local government rates. This is the category of property used to determine voting eligibility for non-resident owners, occupiers, companies, and groups. Your right to enrol is tied to a specific rateable property address.

Resident

A person who lives in the City of Adelaide and is enrolled on the SA House of Assembly roll at that address. Residents are automatically enrolled on the Council voters roll — no application is needed. Residents can vote in their ward councillor election, the area councillor election, and the Lord Mayor election.

Returning Officer

The independent ECSA official responsible for overseeing the conduct of the election, including ballot paper dispatch, counting, and scrutiny. If you believe your name was omitted from the voters roll in error, contact the Returning Officer at ECSA as soon as possible.

Roll Close

The deadline after which no new enrolments can be accepted. For the 2026 election, the roll closes at 5pm on Monday 4 January 2027.

Scrutiny & Count

The counting of votes which leads to the election result.

Sole Occupier

A single person or entity that occupies a rateable property to the substantial exclusion of others (i.e. not sharing occupation). Both natural persons and body corporates can be sole occupiers. A sole occupier who does not live at the property may be eligible to enrol to vote.

Sole Owner

A single person or entity that is the only owner of a rateable property. Both natural persons and body corporates can be sole owners.

State (House of Assembly) electoral roll

A list of eligible voters recorded by the State Government.

State Elector

A person enrolled on the South Australian House of Assembly electoral roll. Being a State Elector is a requirement for voting in City of Adelaide Council elections. You must be an Australian citizen to be a State Elector. Permanent residents, temporary visa holders, and Australian citizens living interstate or overseas do not (generally) qualify.

NOTE: British citizens who were enrolled on the House of Assembly electoral roll before 25 January 1984 remain enrolled and eligible to vote.

Voters Roll

See: Council Voters Roll. The official list of people entitled to vote in City of Adelaide Council elections, maintained by the Council CEO.

Voting in More Than One Ward

You may be entitled to vote in more than one ward if you have separate qualifying relationships in each ward — for example, as a resident in one ward and a property owner in another. However, you can only vote once per ward and only in one capacity per election.

Ward

A geographic division of the City of Adelaide for the purpose of council elections. Your ward determines which ward councillor election you vote in. The City of Adelaide has three wards: North, Central, and South.

Ward Councillor

An elected representative of a specific ward. You vote for the ward councillor(s) of the ward in which your enrolment is based — either your residential address or your property address.

Ward Election

The election for Ward Councillors. You can only vote once in the Ward election for each ward you are enrolled in.