Enrol

ENROL TO VOTE

Most residents are automatically enrolled to vote in Council elections if they are enrolled for state and federal elections. Current residents can check or update their enrolment details through the Electoral Commission of South Australia (ECSA).

Non‑resident property owners and business owners are not automatically enrolled and must apply directly to Council to be included on the Council voters roll using the forms outlined below.

CHECK YOUR ENROLMENT - RESIDENTS

To take part in the November 2026 Council elections, you must be correctly enrolled by 5.00pm Friday 31 July 2026. Voting papers will be sent out in October 2026 to eligible voters who are on the voters roll by this deadline.

If you are already enrolled for state and federal elections, you are automatically enrolled to vote in local council elections at the address where you live. However, it is important to check that your details are current.

You will need to update your enrolment if you have:

SECONDARY PROPERTY OWNERS AND BUSINESS VOTING ENTITLEMENTS

Non-Resident Property Owners

If you live outside the council area but own a property and pay rates within the City of Unley, you may be eligible to vote in the council elections in addition to where you live.

This voting entitlement is not automatic. You must apply to be added to the City of Unley voters roll.

Business Owners and Organisations

If you own or operate a business in Unley, you may also be eligible to enrol to vote. Business and organisational enrolments require an application and the nomination of a designated voter.

Enrolment Forms

There are three (3) different enrolment forms available for enrolment on the Council’s voters roll. It is important to complete the correct form, have it witnessed, and submit it to Council for assessment.

Once your form is received, Council will complete all verification processes, including checking that you are a State Elector and confirming eligibility for the voting entitlement you are applying for. You will then be advised whether you have been added to the voters roll.

If there are any issues and sufficient time remains before the voters roll closes at 5.00pm on 31 July 2026, Council will contact you to explain what is required. Applications received close to the closing date may not allow enough time for corrections.

Detailed information regarding eligibility criteria and links to each form are provided below:

Form 1(PDF, 762KB)

Eligibility for Natural Person: Non-Resident Sole Owner or Sole Occupier who is of the age of 18 or over and is either:

Sole Owner – is a person who:

  • is a State elector; and
  • ·owns property in the Council area; and
  • is the only owner of the relevant property

    or

    Sole Occupier – is a person who:

  • is a State elector; and
  • ·occupies property in the Council area as a tenant; and
  • does not live in that property (a non-resident occupier/operates a business).
Form 2(PDF, 923KB)

Eligibility by a Business or Organisation (i.e. body corporate) which is either:

Sole Owner – A body corporate sole owner is an individual business or organisation that owns any type of rateable property in the Council area.

or

Sole Occupier – A body corporate sole occupier is an individual business or organisation that occupies any type of rateable property in the Council area as a tenant.

Form 3

Eligibility by a Group Owners or Group Occupiers

Group Owner – When a rateable property is owned by more than one owner the right to vote belongs to the group of owners (group owner) not to each member of the group.

The individual members who make up the group owner can be:

  • businesses or organisations (bodies corporate); or
  • individual people (natural persons); or
  • a combination of businesses, organisations and people (bodies corporate and natural persons).

    or

    Group Occupier – When a rateable property is occupied by more than one occupier/tenant the right to vote belongs to the group of occupiers/tenants (group occupier) and not to each member of the group.

    The individual members who make up the group occupier can be:

  • businesses or organisations (bodies corporate); or
  • individual people (natural persons); or
  • a combination of businesses, organisations and people (bodies corporate and natural persons).

 

Important Information for Applicants

When applying, it is important to remember that:

  • you can vote if you are a natural person who is 18 years or above
  • you are only entitled to one vote in each election (Mayor and Ward) and this includes any person selected by a group
  • you need to be a State Elector, this is a person who is enrolled as an elector for the South Australian elections

 

Applications for Bodies Corporate and Groups of Persons

Applications must:

  • include a designated person who is a State elector to be enrolled on the voters roll for an area or ward
  • ·nominate a natural person who is above the age of 18 and who is an officer of the body corporate or group authorised to act on behalf of the body corporate or group for the purposes of voting
  • ensure the nominated person is a State elector, meaning a person enrolled as an elector for the House of Assembly under the Electoral Act 1985 (SA)

 

How to Submit Your Form

Completed forms can be submitted to Council by:

  • dropping them off at the Customer Service Centre, 181 Unley Road, Unley, during opening hours
  • emailing a completed form to pobox1@unley.sa.gov.au 
  • posting it to City of Unley, PO Box 1, Unley SA 5061

 

After Submission

Once your form is received, it will be processed, eligibility criteria checked, and your State Elector status confirmed with ECSA. You will be advised whether your application has been accepted or rejected.

If mailing your application, please ensure sufficient time is allowed for it to be received by 5.00pm Friday 31 July 2026. Applications received after this time cannot be processed for the November 2026 election.