Call for review after First Nations voters report discrimination
First Nations voters in South Australia have reported discriminatory treatment and confusion at polling places during the State’s First Nations Voice to Parliament election.
The Electoral Commission of South Australia (ECSA) says it is “very concerned” and will conduct a comprehensive review, while the state’s Aboriginal Affairs Minister will consider an independent review.
Key Points
- First Nations voters reported intrusive identity checks and unsolicited commentary
- Provisionally-elected SA Voice members raised cultural safety concerns with ABC News
- Some voters queued twice and waited up to two hours to cast ballots
- Reports of staff uncertainty led to delays up to 40 minutes at booths
- ECSA says it is concerned and will conduct a comprehensive review
- Aboriginal Affairs Minister Kyam Maher will consider an independent review
- Turnout was less than 11 per cent of 32,342 eligible First Nations voters
Provisionally-elected members of the SA First Nations Voice told ABC News that some ECSA officers questioned voters’ Aboriginal identity when they requested Voice ballot papers, and in some cases made unsolicited comments about Aboriginal history while voters waited in line.
Central region Voice candidate and provisionally-elected member Ashum Owen said voters who identified themselves as Aboriginal were challenged at the counter.
Aboriginal Affairs Minister Kyam Maher with Patrick Dodson.
Ms Owen described the conduct as “intrusive” and said some voters received “unwarranted, unsolicited commentary” about Aboriginal history in front of other electors, creating culturally unsafe conditions.
Ms Owen has been provisionally elected to represent the central ward in SA’s First Nations Voice to Parliament.
Reports of delays, confusion
Provisionally-elected central region member Melissa Clarke said voter experiences at this year’s election left many feeling “frustrated, disrespected, confused or let down by the process.”
Clarke reported hearing from more than 60 voters, including accounts that some felt “judged racially” by electoral officers, particularly among fair‑skinned community members.
One voter was reportedly told they did not “come up as Aboriginal” on electoral information and were therefore ineligible to vote. Clarke and Owen also cited confusion caused by a lack of signage and information, with some voters unaware they needed to specifically request a Voice ballot at the polling place.
Turnout remains low
This year marked the second time South Australian First Nations people voted to elect representatives to the legislated Voice to Parliament. The Voice ballot was held on the same day as the state election, a move SA Electoral Commissioner Mick Sherry had previously said would make voting more convenient for First Nations voters.
An estimated 32,342 enrolled First Nations voters were eligible to cast ballots this year. Of those, less than 11 per cent voted. The turnout was slightly higher than at the inaugural Voice election in 2024, when less than 10 per cent of eligible electors voted.
Potential reviews
SA Aboriginal Affairs Minister Kyam Maher told the ABC that a number of First Nations community members had raised similar concerns with his office about the Voice election. He said he would consider commissioning an independent review in response to the feedback that some people struggled to cast a vote, were unaware they could do so, or were unable to vote.
In a statement, an ECSA spokesperson said the Voice election would be subject to a comprehensive review. The commission stated it was “very concerned” by reports from some Voice voters and that the experiences described did not meet its expectations.
