Review of the SA Voice elections
In 28 April 2026, the State Government announced former Australian Electoral Commissioner Tom Rogers AO had been appointed to lead a comprehensive review into the management and oversight of the 2026 State Election and 2026 Voice election.
The Terms of Reference of the review require consultation with Aboriginal voters about their experience voting in the 2026 Voice election to be Aboriginal-led. The SA Voice has agreed to lead the consultation and has hosted online and in-person community engagements to hear from their communities. It will use the feedback obtained during these sessions to prepare a submission to the review.
The Terms of Reference for the independent review were determined by the Special Minister of State, the Hon Kyam Maher MLC.
The SA Voice is involved in only one aspect of the review, which is to lead the consultation with First Nations voters.
You can read the full Terms of Reference below.
Terms of Reference
The Terms of Reference for the independent review were determined by the Special Minister of State, the Hon Kyam Maher MLC.
The SA Voice is involved in only one aspect of the review, which is to lead the consultation with First Nations voters.
You can read the full Terms of Reference below.
On 21 March 2026, South Australians voted in the 2026 State election to elect the next South Australian Government. Almost 1.17 million South Australians participated in the election, with approximately 455,000 people attending during the pre-polling period, and around 578,000 people attending on the day of the election to cast their vote. A further 131,500 postal votes were also received.
On the same day, the election for members of the South Australian First Nations Voice to Parliament (the 2026 Voice election) was also held.
The Special Minister of State, the Hon Kyam Maher MLC has commissioned an independent review by former Australian Electoral Commissioner, Thomas Rogers AO, to examine, report on and, if appropriate, provide recommendations regarding the adequacy of preparations and conduct of the 2026 State and Voice elections, including:
- preparation for the elections and the implementation of relevant legislative reforms.
- planning and execution of staffing requirements for the elections, including effective recruitment and appropriate training of staff.
- planning for, and the experience of, voters attending at pre-polling and on the day of the elections.
- consultation with Aboriginal voters about their experiences voting in the 2026 Voice election to be Aboriginal-led.
- whether there was an appropriate level of public awareness and community engagement regarding the 2026 State election and 2026 Voice election.
- adequacy of processes for the count and scrutiny of votes cast in the elections.
- adequacy of the Electoral Commission of SA payroll processes, to enable accurate and timely payment of staff.
- the adoption of the Electoral Commission of SA’s information technology systems.
- assessment of the adequacy and effectiveness of the communication of election results, including the performance, accessibility and usability of digital platforms.
- assess processes and decision-making frameworks for receiving, assessing and determining complaint outcomes, including those relating to misleading advertising or statements, with a focus on the timeliness and consistency of determinations, including whether complaints were appropriately considered and acted upon.
- any other matters as deemed appropriate by the independent reviewer.
The final written report will be tabled in both houses of parliament.
