The next Local Government periodic election will take place in 2026. If you are invested in the future of the City of Playford, ensure you are enrolled to vote and explore what it takes to be a councillor and nominate to stand in the Council elections.

To find out more, head to www.councilelections.sa.gov.au

The 2026 Local Government Periodic Election will be held in November and provide an important opportunity for community members to have their say on the future of their local area.

Every four years, voters elect Council Members who make decisions about local services, facilities, programs and infrastructure that affect everyday life in our community. This includes matters such as roads, parks, libraries, community services, waste management and future planning.

Voting in local government elections in South Australia is not compulsory, however all eligible voters are strongly encouraged to participate.

The 2026 election will be conducted by the Electoral Commission of South Australia (ECSA) with voting taking place entirely by post, making it easy and accessible for eligible voters to participate.

Whether you are a resident, business owner, landowner or part of a community group, ensuring your enrolment details are up to date is an important step in having your voice heard.

Shape your world and make sure you’re enrolled.

Enrolling on the state electoral roll or your council’s voters roll, is the first step toward participating in your council elections. Local Government elections are open to a broader range of people than state elections.

You must be enrolled to be eligible to nominate as a candidate, and to vote in the council elections.

Further information, including key dates, enrolment requirements, candidate information and voting instructions, will be made available as the election approaches via the LGA/ECSA Council Elections webpage.

Silent Elector Enrolment

If you believe having your address included on the publicly available electoral roll could place you, your family, or another person’s safety at risk, you may apply to be registered as a silent elector.

Silent enrolment means your address will not appear on future editions of the publicly available electoral roll.

It is important to understand that silent enrolment is intended for situations where there is a genuine safety risk. A preference for privacy is not sufficient for approval. Applicants must be able to demonstrate that their safety, or the safety of another person, may be at risk if their name or address is obtained by another party.

How to apply

The best way to apply for silent elector status is through the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) which maintains the electoral roll for South Australia. If your application is approved, this will also be reflected in the Electoral Commission of South Australia (ECSA) records and the State electoral roll. For more information, including eligibility requirements and application forms, please visit the AEC silent elector webpage.

If you are enrolled on the South Australian State Electoral Roll, you will automatically be included on the Council Voters Roll for your place of residence and will receive a voting pack by post.

If you have recently turned 18, changed your residential address, or changed your name, you must update your details by 5:00pm Friday 31 July 2026.

To check or update your enrolment details visit: Check your enrolment | Council Elections

The City of Playford Supplementary Roll provides another way for eligible individuals and organisations to participate in Council elections.

If you are over the age of 18 and are enrolled on the South Australian State Electoral Roll, you may also be eligible to vote if you are:

• a non-resident sole owner (landlord of rateable property) within the City of Playford
• a non-resident occupier (tenant) within City of Playford
• an owner or occupier of an organisation or business within City of Playford
• an owner of a holiday home within City of Playford
• part of a group of owners or occupiers of a rateable property within City of Playford

Eligible persons and organisations must complete the relevant form and return it to Council by 5:00pm Friday 31 July 2026.

In accordance with the Local Government (Elections) Act 1999, Council must purge the supplementary roll on 1 January of every election year. This means eligible landlords, business owners, organisations and other supplementary voters must re-enrol for each election year.

Please note: An elector is not entitled to more than one (1) vote per Ward in which they are eligible to vote and is entitled to one (1) Mayoral vote only.

To apply for inclusion on Council's Supplementary Roll, please use the appropriate form below:

• Form 1 – Natural Person: Non-Resident, Sole Owner or Sole Occupier (tenant)
• Form 2 – Body Corporate - Sole Owner or Sole Occupier (tenant)
• Form 3 – Group Owners or Group Occupiers (tenants)

Further details regarding enrolment are available on the LGA/ECSA Council Elections webpage.

During 2025, the City of Playford completed an Elector Representation Review, being a formal process undertaken under Section 12 of the Local Government Act 1999. This review considered all aspects of Council's composition, including the division of the Council area into wards. Following community consultation and certification by the Electoral Commission of South Australia, new ward boundaries will apply for the 2026 Council election.

From the next periodic Local Government election, Council will adopt a new structure comprising:

• one Mayor directly elected by the community as the principal member
• twelve Ward Councillors
• four wards, being Ward 1 to Ward 4
• three councillors representing each ward.

These changes are intended to ensure balanced and effective representation across the City of Playford.

The updated ward boundaries are detailed in the final Representation Review Report, as certified by the Electoral Commission of South Australia and published in the South Australian Government Gazette (pages No. 71 p. 4936 – 71 p. 4939).

To identify your ward for the 2026 election, use the link below to our interactive map