‘Every vote counts for our Voice’ Indigenous South Australians to cast their vote early for inaugural state Voice to Parliament election
Early voting for South Australia’s legislated First Nations Voice to Parliament commences today, with 13 polling stations opening across metropolitan and regional locations.
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Thirteen early voting centres opened across metropolitan and regional South Australia on Wednesday for the inaugural state-based First Nations Voice to Parliament election, with 113 candidates contesting.
The election for the SA Voice will see candidates running across six regions which include, Central, Far North, Flinders and Upper North, Riverland and South East, West and West Coast, and Yorke and Mid North.
On Tuesday, SA Commissioner for a First Nations Voice, Dale Agius told The Advertiser that he expected a good turnout of voters as the Voice was a mechanism communities were calling for.
“It’s very important for our communities to see that we are openly involved in the process and it would be very reassuring for our candidates to see that our communities have invested their interest in voting,” he said.
“To our mob, this is a once in a generation opportunity for our communities to elect representatives to speak to the higher ups and decision makers.
“Every vote counts for our Voice model here in SA and your vote will not be wasted in this inaugural election.
“This is a good thing for Aboriginal communities and also for all South Australians, because it means we cut through the clutter and cut public waste.”
Mr Agius said it was important that the wider public had a clear understanding of what the Voice could achieve for Indigenous South Australians, and how it would function.
The SA Voice body will be made up of six Local Voices, with each local region consisting of 7 members except for the 11-member central region, which covers the greater Adelaide region.
Successful candidates from each Local Voice will then nominate two of their own members to go forward and make up the State First Nations Voice.
The final SA Voice body will have 46-representatives, with 34 at the Local Voice level, and 12 at the State Voice level.
Director of Communications for the Electoral Commission of South Australia, James Trebilcock said the ECSA aimed to ensure that all eligible voters would have the opportunity to cast their vote.
“We aim to ensure every eligible elector has the opportunity to vote in the inaugural 2024 South Australian First Nations Voice to Parliament Election,” he said.
“13 early voting centres open from today in the inaugural South Australian First Nations Voice to Parliament Election, (and) these centres will be open across the state until the day before polling – Saturday, March 16.
“This is an opportunity for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders to vote on who will represent them on the Local First Nations Voice.”
The election for the SA Voice will be held on Saturday, March 16, with all 32 polling locations open across the state.
For further information on where you can cast your vote, visit: www.savoiceelection.sa.gov.au
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