Voting in an election
Voting in the 2027 Council Election is conducted by postal ballot.
Eligible residents, property owners, businesses and organisations may be able to vote in the City of Adelaide election.
Use this page to check your eligibility, confirm your enrolment details, access enrolment forms and learn how the voting process works.
Voting and enrolment requirements differ depending on whether you are voting as a resident, non-resident owner, occupier, company or organisation.
Steps to vote
- Check eligibility
Are you a State Elector? - Residential vote only
Check details or enrol using ECSA, or - Nominate a Nominee (a natural person on behalf of a company, group)
Use City of Adelaide forms. - Receive ballot pack
By post in February or March 2027 (to be confirmed) - Vote
Return by 5:00 pm, Wednesday 7 April
Voting eligibility
To vote in the 2026 City of Adelaide Council election, you must meet all of the following:
- Be enrolled on the SA House of Assembly Voters Roll (State Elector)
- Be aged 18 years or above
- Have a qualifying relationship with the City of Adelaide — as a resident, property owner, property occupier, or representative of a body corporate or group
- Be enrolled on the Council voters roll by the roll close date of Monday 4 January 2027
New Rules & Eligibility Changes for 2027
Recent legislative changes mean the eligibility rules have changed significantly. Check carefully — your previous entitlement may not carry forward.
No longer eligible from 2026
- Permanent residents (not citizens)
- Temporary visa holders
- Australian citizens living interstate
- Australian citizens living overseas
Still eligible
- State Elector on the SA House of Assembly roll
- Non-resident property owners / occupiers (if a State Elector) – via an enrolment
- Body corporates & groups — via enrolment of an eligible person
Who can enrol
Use the table below to find your situation quickly. If your scenario is not listed, visit our frequently asked questions page to find out more or how to contact the elections team.
| Your situation | Eligible | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Australian citizen, enrolled on SA HoA roll, living in City of Adelaide | Yes - automatic | No action needed. You are already enrolled on the Council roll. |
| Australian citizen, living in city, NOT yet enrolled on SA HoA roll | Yes - must enrol | Enrol via ECSA at ecsa.sa.gov.au/enrolment/check-my-enrolment, then you are automatically enrolled on the Council roll. |
| Permanent resident (not an Australian citizen) | No longer eligible | No voting entitlement under rules introduced in 2026. NOTE: British citizens on the House of Assembly roll prior to 26 January 1984 remain eligible to vote. |
| Non-resident property owner, Australian citizen living in SA | Yes - enrolment required | Complete Form 1 (non-resident owner/occupier). |
| Non-resident property owner, Australian citizen living interstate or overseas | No longer eligible | No voting entitlement under rules introduced in 2026, even if Australian citizen. NOTE: Check your enrolment with ECSA to confirm if you are on the House of Assembly roll. |
| Company / Body Corporate owning or occupying rateable property | Yes - nomination required | Complete Form 2. Nominee must be an eligible officer enrolled on the SA HoA roll. |
| Group — joint owners or joint occupiers of the same rateable property | Yes - nomination required | Complete Form 3. One eligible natural person votes for the whole group. |
Check Your Enrolment
Your enrolment on the SA House of Assembly electoral roll — which is the basis for automatic enrolment on the Council voters roll — is managed by the Electoral Commission of South Australia (ECSA).
Check your enrolment Track my enrolment
Silent / itinerant / overseas electors can contact ECSA on 1300 655 232.
Council voters roll queries (non-resident owners/tenants, companies, groups) can contact the City of Adelaide Council directly.
If you are a State Elector enrolled on the South Australian House of Assembly roll at a residential address in the City of Adelaide or North Adelaide, you are automatically enrolled on the Council voters roll.
There is no minimum period of residency that the Council itself applies — your eligibility flows directly from your House of Assembly enrolment.
If you have recently moved to the City and updated your address with ECSA, you will be enrolled on the Council voters roll once it is updated. Your enrolment must be in place by Monday 4 January 2027.
If you are a State Elector enrolled on the SA House of Assembly roll and you are the sole non-resident owner or sole non-resident occupier of rateable property in a ward, you must enrol to vote in that ward's election using Form 1.
- You can hold separate voting entitlements in different wards if your eligibility in each ward arises from a different basis.
- You can only vote once per ward.
- You vote only once for Lord Mayor and once for Area Councillors, regardless of how many wards you vote in.
A company (body corporate) that is the sole owner or sole occupier of rateable property in a ward is entitled to be enrolled. A company cannot vote directly — an eligible officer must be enrolled to vote on its behalf.
An eligible officer includes a director, manager, secretary, public officer, or any other person who takes part in managing the company — and who is a State Elector enrolled on the SA House of Assembly roll, aged 18 or over, and not already enrolled in the same ward in their own right.
Who can be enrolled to vote for my company or association?
The nominated person must meet ALL of the following requirements:
- They must be an officer of the company/association — this includes a director, manager, secretary, public officer, or any other person who takes part in the management of the affairs of the entity. In practice this means a director or company secretary listed with ASIC for a company and the public officer listed with Consumer and Business Service SA.
- They must be authorised to act on the company/association's behalf for voting purposes — through the company's constitution, a board resolution, or the enrolment form itself.
- They must be a State Elector enrolled on the SA House of Assembly roll. From 1 January 2026, all nominees must be State Electors. Permanent residents and Australian citizens living interstate or overseas do not qualify.
- They must be 18 years of age or over.
- They must not already be enrolled on the Council voters roll for the same ward in their own right.
Enrolment Process for Companies
The Council will send your company a link to an enrolment form (Form 2 — Body Corporate Nomination) in early June 2026. Complete and return the form by Monday 4 January 2027 at 5:00 pm.
The Council may use ASIC records to verify officer details. Making a false or misleading statement carries a maximum penalty of $10,000.
Default Enrolment Process — Body Corporates
Step 1 — If no valid enrolment is received by Monday 4 January 2027 (5:00 pm), the Council CEO appoints a default person: the first eligible officer of your company alphabetically who is on the SA House of Assembly roll (based on ASIC records).
Step 2 — You will receive a default notice between 5–18 January 2027 advising who has been appointed.
Step 3 — You have until 25 January 2027 to submit a different enrolment if you wish.
If no eligible officer can be identified at all, your company will NOT receive a ballot paper.
To retain control over who votes on your behalf — submit your enrolment before Monday 4 January 2027.
If all your directors and officers live interstate or overseas, your company may not be able to enrol a representative, because the enrolled person must be a South Australian resident enrolled on the SA House of Assembly roll.
If no director or officer meets this requirement, your company may not receive a ballot paper. Contact the City of Adelaide Council as early as possible for advice.
A group is formed where two or more persons (individuals, companies, or a mix) are joint owners, owners in common, or joint occupiers of the same rateable property in a ward. The group is treated as a single entity on the voters roll and is collectively entitled to one vote — not one vote per member.
Did you know you might be a 'group'?
If you share ownership of a property with a business partner, you may already form a 'group' for Council voting purposes.
If two or more businesses share a building and are listed as ratepayers, they may also form a group and collectively hold one vote.
The Council will contact all companies and groups enrolled on the voters roll in early June 2026 and explain your group status.
Enrolling a Group Representative
As a group, you must enrol a single eligible person to cast your one vote on everyone's behalf. Complete and return Form 3 — Group Owner/Occupier Enrolment/Nomination by 31 July 2026 at 5pm. The person you enrol must:
- be a natural person aged 18 or over
- be a State Elector enrolled on the South Australian House of Assembly electoral roll
- be a member of the group, or an officer of a company that is a member of the group, authorised to act on the group's behalf for voting purposes
- not already be enrolled on the voters roll in their own right or otherwise entitled to be enrolled in the same ward
Complete Form 3 online Download Form 3
Default Nomination Process — Groups
If no valid enrolment is received by Monday 4 January 2027 (5:00 pm), the Council CEO will appoint a default representative.
You will be notified between 5–18 January 2027. You have until 25 January 2027 to enrol a different person.
If no eligible person can be found, no ballot papers will be issued to your group.
To retain control over who votes on your behalf — submit your enrolment before Monday 4 January 2027.
Enrolment forms
If you are not automatically enrolled as a resident, use the relevant form below. All enrolment applications must be received by 5:00 pm, Monday 4 January 2027.
Form 1 – Natural Person (Non-Resident Owner or Occupier)
Use this form if you are a State Elector enrolled on the SA House of Assembly roll and you:
- own property in the City but do not live there (non-resident sole owner), or
- you occupy a property (e.g. commercial tenant) but do not reside at that address (non-resident sole occupier).
Form 2 – Body Corporate Enrolment
Use this form to enrol an eligible officer to vote on your company's behalf.
The Council will send enrolled body corporates an enrolment form in early June 2026.
What if you don't nominate? — Default appointment
If no nomination is received by Monday 4 January 2027 (5:00 pm), the Council CEO will appoint a default nominee — the first eligible officer of your company alphabetically on the SA HoA roll.
You will be notified between 5–18 January 2027. You have until 25 January 2027 to submit a different nomination.
If no eligible person can be identified at all, your company will NOT receive a ballot paper.
To retain control over who votes on your behalf — submit your nomination before Monday 4 January 2027.
Form 3 – Group Owner/Occupier Enrolment
Use this form if your property is jointly owned or occupied by two or more people, companies, or a mix. Together, all owners/occupiers in the group hold one vote — not one vote per entity.
- The person enrolled must be a natural person aged 18 or over.
- They must be an Australian citizen enrolled on the SA House of Assembly roll.
- They must be a member of the group (or an officer of a company that is a member), authorised to act on the group's behalf.
- They must not already be enrolled on the voters roll in their own right for the same ward.
What if your group doesn't nominate? — Default appointment
If no enrolment is received by Monday 4 January 2027 (5:00 pm), the Council CEO will appoint a default representative.
You will be notified between 5–18 January 2027. You have until 25 January 2027 to nominate enrol a different person.
If no eligible person can be found, no ballot papers will be issued to your group.
To retain control over who votes on your behalf — submit your enrolment before Monday 4 January 2027.
Council wards
The City of Adelaide is divided into three wards. Your ward determines which ward councillor election you vote in. It is important to check which ward your address falls in — if you are unsure, use the ward boundaries map below to confirm your ward before voting.
Ward | Area | Councillors |
North Ward | Covers North Adelaide | 2 ward councillors |
Central Ward | Covers the central city area | 4 ward councillors |
South Ward | Covers the southern part of the city | 3 ward councillors |
In addition to ward councillors, there are 2 area councillors elected city-wide and the Lord Mayor is elected city-wide — 12 elected positions in total across five separate elections.
Not sure which ward you’re in?
Your ward is determined by the address of the property that entitles you to vote — this may be your residential address, or the address of a property you own or occupy (including as a body corporate or group). Check the interactive ward map to confirm which ward applies to you, as this will determine which ward councillor candidates appear on your ballot paper.
Update Your Enrolment
If your details have changed, visit the Australian Electoral Commission update my details page to ensure your enrolment remains valid.
How Voting Works
All voting in City of Adelaide Council elections is conducted by postal ballot. Enrolled voters will receive a voting package in the mail from ECSA, including ballot papers and a reply-paid envelope.
- Ballot packs delivered: February or March 2027 (to be confirmed). Sent by ECSA to your enrolled address.
- Voting closes: 5:00 pm Wednesday 7 April, 2027. Completed ballot papers must be received by ECSA. Post early.
The declaration on the ballot pack must be signed by the person whose name appears on it.
If you have not received your ballot papers by late March 2027, contact the City of Adelaide Council or ECSA on 1300 655 232.
For full voting instructions, visit ECSA's Voting in Council Elections page.
This glossary explains the words and phrases used in connection with the 2027 City of Adelaide Council elections. Terms are listed in alphabetical order and written in plain English. If you need more information, contact the City of Adelaide Council on (08) 8203 7203 or the Electoral Commission of South Australia (ECSA) on 1300 655 232.
Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) | the AEC run Australia's federal elections, by-elections, referendums and some industrial and commercial events. |
Area Councillor | An elected representative who represents the broader City of Adelaide area (rather than a specific ward). Every eligible voter — resident or property-based — can vote in the Area Councillor election. |
Area Election | The election for Area Councillors and the Lord Mayor. You can only vote once in an Area election, regardless of how many properties you are enrolled for. |
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. |
Need more information?
If you need help, you can visit our frequently asked election questions page or get in touch with our council election team: