November local government elections postponed to 2027

“REGIONAL councils are resilient and we will rise to the challenge.”

That is how City of Mount Gambier Mayor and Limestone Coast Local Government Association president Lynette Martin summed up the South Australian Government’s decision to postpone the schedule November Local Government elections to April 2027.

Laws to move those elections to next April have passed State Parliament – the reforms were developed after a request from the Acting Electoral Commissioner, who expressed concern about the Commission’s readiness to oversee this year’s local government elections.

The shift has been enacted to allow former Australian Electoral Commissioner Tom Rogers AO to complete his review of the 2026 State Election.

The new date was chosen to enable the Electoral Commission further time to improve processes and recruit staff, while ensuring South Australians have their say and ensuring councils can set their 2027 budgets.

The reforms also mean South Australian voters do not need to take part in two major state-based elections in the same year moving forward.

“The LGA has been calling for the State and Local Government elections not to be held in the same year since 2022 but to make this call on the upcoming election is going to see local councils facing a lot of challenges,” Mayor Martin said.

The six member Limestone Coast councils – Tatiara; Naracoorte Lucindale; Robe; Southern Limestone Coast (formerly District Council of Grant), Mount Gambier and Kingston – met at the end of last month and share the same view of the decision.

“We have a united position,” Mayor Martin said. “We acknowledge the challenges facing the Electoral Commission and it is most important to have a proper election process.

“We will abide by the decision to move the elections despite the incredible challenges it will present especially around budget planning, preparation and consultation.

“The first six month of any council’s year is spent preparing the business plan and budget – it is so important – the most important document that is put together.

“There are 68 councils in South Australia, businesses if you like, and they are being put in a precarious position which is really unfortaunte.”

Some of the legislative changes which will surround the move of the election are still unclear but Mayor Martin said local councils are committed to making it work and ensuring the community is not hampered by the changes.

The six month delay was not on the LGA’s bingo card, preferring either to power through the November elections this year or postponing for 12 months to not impede on the usual business of local councils and South Australian Local Government Minister Rhiannon Pearce did receive correspondence outlining that view.

“I appreciate this has been a challenging time for those in local government and I am grateful for their patience as we have been working through this unprecedented situation,” Minister Pearce said. “This deferral will help ensure South Australians have full confidence in both the management of the next round of local government elections and their outcome.”

Attorney-General Kyam Maher understands the frustration of local councils, balancing that against the need to have surety in the election process.

“It is incredibly frustrating that the challenges faced at the state election have led to this situation.,” Mr Maher said. “The State Government acknowledges that the Parliament has a move in the election date, following the Acting Electoral Commissioner’s advice that the Electoral Commission was simply not equipped to manage this year’s local government elections.

“Delaying polling day by five months gives the Electoral Commission more time to consider any findings and recommendations Tom Rogers makes about the Commission’s operations and implement any changes necessary to ensure they’re ready to oversee a poll of this magnitude.

“The State Government’s is determined to ensure South Australians can have confidence in our democratic processes, and we believe this delay will help achieve this.”

Under the reforms, polling day shifts from November 11 this year to 7 April next year, with subsequent elections to be held every four years from November 2031.