The Electoral Commission SA is an independent office which forms part of the Government of South Australia, and which conducts parliamentary state elections every four years.

In 1907 the then State Electoral Department was established to administer all South Australian parliamentary elections.

[4] George Hamilton Ayliffe, a long standing public servant, filled the role in the 1905 and 1906 elections and Charles Llandaff Mathews was the first state returning officer appointed under the State Electoral Department.

In 1999 the Electoral Commissioner was appointed returning officer for all local government elections.

[5] For the previous decade, the electoral commissioner was Kay Mousley,[6] who was the first woman in the role.