The recent corflute ban in South Australia has severely hampered voters’ comprehension of the Dunstan by-election. This consequential election is set for March 2024. The Electoral Commission of South Australia (ECSA) held a survey. Importantly, the survey aimed to uncover how many voters are being left in the dark by the lack of traditional signage. This regulatory change had been approved only weeks before the by-election. Unfortunately, it has recently come under attack from various stakeholders, who are now crying foul over its negative effects on voter engagement.
The corflute ban only applies to the public realm. It doesn’t address posters on private property, which represents a huge change to the campaigning landscape in Ontario. Local councils across Australia still have the power to legislate against election posters, meaning that the practice varies widely depending on the jurisdiction. The bi-partisan support for the corflute ban has raised challenges for ECSA as it seeks to make electoral participation accessible.
ECSA’s Findings on Voter Awareness
ECSA’s survey has given us key insights into what voters think when they notice corflutes missing. According to ECSA documents, “the recent ban on corflutes significantly impacted electors’ awareness.” In particular, 27 percent of electors said that the lack of corflutes made them less aware of the by-election. The effect was even harsher for those who did not vote. In fact, 37 percent of them claimed that the lack of corflutes reduced their knowledge of the event.
“This effect was even more pronounced among non-voters, with 37 per cent stating that the lack of corflutes reduced their awareness of the event.” – ECSA documents
Findings highlight the exotic role corflutes have played when it comes to informing individuals about elections, candidates, and voting in general. ECSA acknowledges that “[the ban] does pose some challenges for ECSA, as the corflutes had previously helped raise awareness of the elections and their candidates.”
The commission’s next job is advocating different approaches to keep voters educated. “It’s clear that ECSA may need to explore new strategies to enhance awareness for future elections,” said ECSA representatives.
Implications for Future Elections
The influence of South Australia’s corflute ban goes far beyond the one-off by-election. Andrew Hughes, a marketing lecturer, said states across the country are closely monitoring outcomes from this legislative switch. They are just as enthusiastic to see how it will play out! “What corflutes are really designed to do is raise awareness very quickly about candidates, parties and the election itself,” Hughes noted. He noted that, despite environmental positives of the ban, it poses deep concerns for democracy and voter participation.
“It’s clear that ECSA may need to explore new strategies to enhance awareness for future elections.” – ECSA documents
Hughes was adamant that he would be worried by such low levels of engagement, particularly in a lower turnout by-election. “In a smaller by-election, the fact that so many aren’t engaged to the point that they need to have a corflute remind them is troubling,” he stated. Miller suggested moving beyond traditional strategies to educate the public. More specific strategies include mainstream advertising and social media campaigns.
Responses from Stakeholders
Kyam Maher, a prominent figure in South Australian politics, expressed support for the initiative, noting that many constituents appreciate the reduction of visual clutter in public spaces. “People are glad to see the visual pollution gone from our streets, and the impact on our environment reduced,” Maher stated.
Maher recognized the urgent demand for better communication tactics in the future. “We’re in discussions with ECSA about how to ensure their communications activities are as effective as possible, to help South Australians exercise their democratic rights at the 2026 state election,” he added.
Yet the ECSA knows that much work still lies between itself and the next state election. The commission has already singled out the corflute ban as a major hurdle. They’re going to do that with six other issues to better engage and educate voters.
