{"id":"sa:election-of-senators-act-1903","name":"Election of Senators Act 1903","slug":"sa-election-of-senators-act-1903","collection":"act","jurisdiction":"sa","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":438039,"registerId":"sa:election-of-senators-act-1903-seed-1775954628077-m5qxc7","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-12","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Election of Senators Act 1903","content":"South Australia\nElection of Senators Act 1903\nAn Act to make provision for determining the times and places of elections of Senators for the State.\n\nContents\n1\tShort title\n2\tPower to fix dates in relation to election\n3\tGovernor may extend time for holding election etc\nLegislative history\n\nThe Parliament of South Australia enacts as follows:\n1—Short title\nThis Act may be cited as the Election of Senators Act 1903.\n2—Power to fix dates in relation to election\n\t(1)\tFor the purpose of the election of Senators for this State to the Senate of the Commonwealth, the Governor may, by proclamation—\n\t(a)\tfix the date for the issue of the writ;\n\t(b)\tfix the date for the close of the electoral rolls;\n\t(ba)\tfix the date for the nomination of candidates;\n\t(c)\tfix the date for the polling;\n\t(d)\tfix a date on or before which the writ must be returned.\n\t(1a)\tThe writ shall be deemed to have been issued at the hour of six o'clock in the afternoon of the day on which the writ was issued.\n\t(1b)\tThe writ shall be dated as of the day of its issue and the dates fixed under subsection (1) shall be specified in the writ.\n\t(1d)\tSubject to subsection (1e), the date fixed for the nomination of the candidates shall not be less than 10 days or more than 27 days after the date of the writ.\n\t(1e)\tWhere a candidate for an election dies, after being nominated and before twelve o'clock noon on the day fixed by the writ as the date of nomination for the election, the day fixed as the date of nomination for the election shall, except for the purposes of subsection (1f), be taken to be the day next succeeding the day so fixed.\n\t(1f)\tThe date fixed for the polling shall not be less than 23 days or more than 31 days after the date of nomination.\n\t(1g)\tThe day fixed for the polling shall be a Saturday.\n\t(1h)\tThe date fixed for the return of the writ shall not be more than 100 days after the issue of the writ.\n\t(2)\tNomination must be made after the issue of the writ and before twelve o'clock noon on the day of nomination.\n\t(2a)\tThe office of the Australian Electoral Officer for this State shall be the place of nomination for the election.\n\t(2b)\tThe poll shall be open at eight o'clock in the morning, and shall not close until all electors present in the polling booth at six o'clock in the afternoon, and desiring to vote, have voted.\n\t(3)\tThe polling shall take place at all polling places within the State appointed under the law of the Commonwealth for the time being in force for the regulation of Parliamentary elections.\n3—Governor may extend time for holding election etc\n\t(1)\tThe Governor may, by proclamation, before or after the date fixed for the polling—\n\t(a)\textend the time for holding the election;\n\t(b)\textend the time for returning the writ;\n\t(c)\tprovide for meeting any difficulty that might otherwise interfere with the due course of the election.\n\t(2)\tAny provisions made under subsection (1) shall be valid and sufficient and any date provided for under that subsection in lieu of a date fixed and specified in the writ under section 2 shall be deemed to be the date so fixed and specified.\nLegislative history\nNotes\n\t•\tPlease note—References in the legislation to other legislation or instruments or to titles of bodies or offices are not automatically updated as part of the program for the revision and publication of legislation and therefore may be obsolete.\n\t•\tEarlier versions of this Act (historical versions) are listed at the end of the legislative history.\n\t•\tFor further information relating to the Act and subordinate legislation made under the Act see the Index of South Australian Statutes or www.legislation.sa.gov.au.\nPrincipal Act and amendments\nNew entries appear in bold.\nYear\nNo\nTitle\nAssent\nCommencement\n1903\n834\nThe Election of Senators Act 1903\n30.10.1903\n30.10.1903\n1978\n4\nThe Election of Senators Act Amendment Act 1978\n2.3.1978\n2.3.1978\n1981\n37\nElection of Senators Act Amendment Act 1981\n19.3.1981\n19.3.1981\n1984\n80\nElection of Senators Act Amendment Act 1984\n15.11.1984\n15.11.1984\n1988\n85\nElection of Senators Act Amendment Act 1988\n1.12.1988\n1.12.1988\n2000\n57\nStatutes Amendment and Repeal (Attorney-General's Portfolio) Act 2000\n20.7.2000\nPt 9 (s 23)—14.8.2000 (Gazette 10.8.2000 p444)\n2007\n37\nElection of Senators (Close of Rolls) Amendment Act 2007\n4.10.2007\n4.10.2007\nProvisions amended since 3 February 1976\nNew entries appear in bold.\nEntries that relate to provisions that have been deleted appear in italics.\nProvision\nHow varied\nCommencement\ns 2\namended by 4/1978 s 2\n2.3.1978\n\nsubstituted by 37/1981 s 2\n19.3.1981\ns 2(1)\namended by 80/1984 s 2(a)\n15.11.1984\ns 2(1a) and (1b)\ninserted by 80/1984 s 2(b)\n15.11.1984\ns 2(1c)\ninserted by 80/1984 s 2(b)\n15.11.1984\n\ndeleted by 37/2007 s 3\n4.10.2007\ns 2(1d)\ninserted by 80/1984 s 2(b)\n15.11.1984\n\namended by 57/2000 s 23(a)\n14.8.2000\ns 2(1e)\ninserted by 80/1984 s 2(b)\n15.11.1984\ns 2(1f)\ninserted by 80/1984 s 2(b)\n15.11.1984\n\namended by 57/2000 s 23(b)\n14.8.2000\ns 2(1g)\ninserted by 80/1984 s 2(b)\n15.11.1984\ns 2(1h)\ninserted by 80/1984 s 2(b)\n15.11.1984\n\namended by 85/1988 s 2\n1.12.1988\ns 2(2a) and (2b)\ninserted by 80/1984 s 2(c)\n15.11.1984\ns 3\n\n\ns 3(1)\ns 3 inserted by 37/1981 s 2\n19.3.1981\n\ns 3 redesignated as s 3(1) by 80/1984 s 3\n15.11.1984\n\namended by 85/1988 s 3(a)\n1.12.1988\ns 3(2)\ninserted by 80/1984 s 3\n15.11.1984\ns 3(3)\ninserted by 80/1984 s 3\n15.11.1984\n\ndeleted by 85/1988 s 3(b)\n1.12.1988\nHistorical versions\nReprint No 1—1.7.1991\n\nReprint No 2—14.8.2000\n\n","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"issue_detection":{"absurdities":[],"contradictions":[]},"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"A positive credit balance is required for all requests, including BYOK, so fallback providers remain available. Add credits at https://vercel.com/d?to=%2F%5Bteam%5D%2F%7E%2Fai%3Fmodal%3Dtop-up to continue.","source":"analysis-cron"},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The Act remains tightly focused on its original purpose: setting the procedural framework for South Australian Senate elections. While amendments have refined timing details (such as adding subsection 2(1ba) for candidate nominations and adjusting day ranges), these are technical improvements rather than scope expansion. The 1984 amendments added significant detail to the original sparse framework, but this was clarification and codification of existing practice rather than mission creep."},"complexity_factors":["Only 3 main sections with straightforward procedural rules","Minimal cross-referencing (only refers generally to 'the law of the Commonwealth' for polling places)","Some nested subsections (2(1d), 2(1e), etc.) but logical flow is clear","One conditional exception (section 2(1e) regarding candidate death)","No defined terms section – ordinary language used throughout","Legislative history is longer than the actual Act, but doesn't affect operative provisions"],"plain_english_summary":"This short South Australian law sets the state-level rules for initiating and running federal Senate elections: it empowers the Governor to issue the writ that fixes key dates, prescribes nomination and polling arrangements, and allows extensions or fixes for disruptions. \n\nIt affects the Governor, candidates who must nominate within specified windows, and voters and officials who rely on the prescribed timetable — ensuring these elections run predictably and results are returned on time."},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"The Act’s scope has been expanded by later amendments to add detailed timing rules, procedural specifics and contingency powers. Notable additions include deeming the writ issue time and specifying writ dating (s 2(1a), s 2(1b)), fixed windows for nomination and polling (s 2(1d), s 2(1f)), a death-of-candidate nomination rule (s 2(1e)), mandatory Saturday polling (s 2(1g)), a 100-day limit for return of the writ (s 2(1h)), mandated nomination location and polling hours (s 2(2a), s 2(2b)), and an express Governor power to extend dates or address election difficulties (s 3(1)–(2))."},"complexity_factors":["Governor’s broad discretion to set dates by proclamation (s 2(1)) and to extend dates or provide remedies before or after polling (s 3(1)) — introduces administrative uncertainty.","Multiple interdependent timing constraints (nomination window, polling interval, writ return limit) that must be coordinated (s 2(1d), s 2(1f), s 2(1h)).","Specific procedural prescriptions (place of nomination, polling opening/closing times) that bind operational practice (s 2(2a), s 2(2b)).","Special rule for death of a nominated candidate that alters the nomination day in limited circumstances (s 2(1e)) — creates conditional date shifts.","Technical deeming and dating rules for writ issue and specification of dates in the writ that affect legal certainty and timing calculations (s 2(1a), s 2(1b)).","Interaction required with Commonwealth electoral law for appointing polling places, creating cross-jurisdictional dependencies (s 2(3)).","Potential retrospective or post-fixation changes permitted by proclamation (s 3(1)–(2)) that affect reliance on dates fixed in the writ."],"plain_english_summary":"This Act lets the Governor set the timing and some procedural details for Senate elections in South Australia: issuing the writ, closing rolls, fixing nomination and polling days, polling hours, and the date for returning the writ. It prescribes timing windows (for nominations and polling), requires polling on a Saturday, and names the Australian Electoral Officer’s office as the nomination place. \n\nThe law affects candidates, electoral officials and voters by creating binding deadlines and procedures; the Governor may later extend those dates, shifting administrative and compliance burdens onto electoral agencies and candidates."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/sa-election-of-senators-act-1903","history":"/api/acts/sa-election-of-senators-act-1903/history","analysis":"/api/acts/sa-election-of-senators-act-1903/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/sa-election-of-senators-act-1903/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/sa-election-of-senators-act-1903/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/sa-election-of-senators-act-1903/documents"}}