Poor advertising, confused voters and underfunded candidates: SA Voice's problems revealed

Officials setting up a polling booth in the remote town of Yalata for SA's inaugural First Nations Voice election in March 2024. (ABC News: Stephanie Richards.)

SA's inaugural Voice to Parliament election was criticised for low turnout among Aboriginal voters.

New documents obtained by the ABC suggest there were several failures advertising the election, with many voters unaware it was taking place.

First Nations voters say they gave the Electoral Commission clear feedback that more Voice signage was needed for the 2026 election — but claim this advice was not heeded.

South Australia's inaugural Voice to Parliament election was hampered by advertising failures that left some First Nations voters unaware an election was taking place, according to internal Electoral Commission documents that accuse a government agency of failing to deliver publicity services as promised.

Freedom of information documents obtained by the ABC also show the commission received extensive feedback that more advertising, polling booth signage and Aboriginal workers were needed for the second Voice election in March 2026 — feedback that some Voice members say was not listened to.

But a spokesperson for the Electoral Commission of SA (ECSA) said that, following its review of the inaugural election, its promotion of the second election was "revised" to "include a broader range of advertising and community engagement activities to strengthen engagement with First Nations communities".

Fewer than 10 per cent of voters who were eligible to cast a ballot to elect members to South Australia's new state-based Voice to Parliament took part in the March 2024 election, electoral figures show.

The inaugural Voice election was held in March 2024 — five months after the unsuccessful national Voice referendum — and registered a turnout of less than 10 per cent.

Afterwards, ECSA commissioned market research firm Ipsos to gauge First Nations' views on the Voice via an online survey, focus groups and in-depth interviews.

The report found "the main barrier" to voting was a "lack of awareness of the elections, including not knowing the date, location, or candidates".

"There were lots of people who didn't know it was happening … we had all that education about the national voice, but very little about the state voice," another voter said.

It was also "overwhelmingly agreed" among both voters and non-voters that "little to no official information about candidates and their platforms was made available".

The SA Electorial Commission sought market research to gauge First Nations' views on th