Views on election delay

THE South Australian Parliament last Thursday passed legislation to defer the 2026 local government elections.

The deferral of the periodic elections means the terms of current elected members (councillors and elected Mayors) is extended for a further five months from mid November 2026 to voting closure on Wednesday, April 7, 2027.

An elected member can still resign from office at any time, in writing, to the CEO.

In accordance with the current Local Government Act 1999, a supplementary election will not be held to fill a casual vacancy occurring within 12 months before polling day for periodic elections.

This will apply to any casual vacancies occurring due to the deferral of the 2026 election.

A council may still transact business, even if membership falls below half of the total number of offices, or lower.

Current councils will be able to develop and consult on a 2026-27 Annual Business Plan (ABP) budget which is not prevented by caretaker conditions.

The cut off for adopting this ABP budget has been extended to August 15, 2027, which will allow time for consideration by a new council, post the 2027 elections.

New fees and charges may be considered and adopted prior to the election and rate notices could be delayed. Councils could also experience a period of cash flow shortfall.

While I would have preferred the November elections to continue as originally scheduled, the reasons for change are becoming clearer.

In 2022, South Australians were asked to cast a vote on three occasions - the State Government Election in March, an Australian Federal Election in May, and Local Government Elections in November.

The state and council elections were periodically fixed in March and November respectively, in the same year every four years; the Federal Election is called at the governments wish.

After the 2022 elections, the 67 councils recommended a change in timing of Local Government Elections, to move them to a different year than State Elections. This was ignored until the shemozzle that occurred in the March State Election this year.

Additionally, “very serious concerns” at the Electoral Commission of South Australia (ECSA) led to last Thursday’s forced State Government legislated change.

Hopefully ECSA can get their act together and restore trust and integrity to elections in South Australia.

Anyone putting themselves forward for public service deserves this as a minimum.

A bonus could be greater turnout in voluntary elections which draw around 30-40 per cent of eligible participation.

Trevor Norton is Mayor of the District Council of Loxton Waikerie but it should be recognised that the comment provided above is his own and not that of council.