The South Australian Parliament passed legislation to defer the 2026 local government elections. The next local government election will be held in April 2027.

To find out more, visit the Council Elections website.

The next local government periodic election will be held in April 2027 and provides an important opportunity for community members to have their say on the future of their local area.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

To vote or nominate in council elections, you must be enrolled on the South Australian electoral roll or Council supplementary roll.

State Electoral Roll (South Australia)

If you are enrolled on the South Australian State Electoral Roll at an address within this Council area, 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 Monday 4 January 2027.

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

Supplementary Roll (Council)

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 (below) and return it to Council by Monday 4 January 2027.

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.

Silent Elector Enrolment

You can apply to be registered as a silent elector if you believe having your address included on the publicly available electoral roll could put you or your family’s safety at risk.

For more information including eligibility requirements and application forms, visit the Australian Electoral Commissions AEC silent elector webpage.

Learn about local government and prepare for standing as a council candidate in your community.

The Local Government Association (LGA) offers a free, self-paced 'Stand for Council' eLearning that provides a clear overview of council roles, responsibilities, and decision-making, as well as the leadership and behavioural standards expected of council members. It is designed to help you make an informed decision about standing, and to feel better prepared if you proceed to submit a nomination.

The eLearning includes a leadership qualities and skills checklist to help you reflect on your readiness.

The eLearning covers four modules:

• What is local government?
• Council roles
• Working together
• Leadership and behaviour

https://www.councilelections.sa.gov.au/nominate/free-elearning-course

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 next 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).

Ward boundary maps for the next election are currently being prepared and will be made available on this page in due course.