One Nation faces crucial test as South Australia votes in state election

After weeks of campaigning, debate and speculation, voters in South Australia are heading to the polls in what is being called the first major test of One Nation’s growing popularity.

Polling stations across the state will be packed with people and polls predict a landslide victory for Labor and Peter Malinauskas.

But the rest of the country’s eyes will be on Pauline Hanson’s populist party, which is thought to surpass the troubled Liberals as the state’s main opposition.

Support for the party has been growing rapidly in recent months as voters look for alternatives to the traditional main parties.

Recent opinion polls have shown that the party’s primary support level has reached levels not seen since the 1990s, and a number of high-profile politicians have recently defected to the party.

But commentators see Saturday’s elections as the first big test of whether this baseline report will translate into votes in statewide elections.

Meanwhile, opinion polls suggest a disastrous election for Ashton Hurn’s Liberal Party, with YouGov’s latest figures predicting the party’s primary support vote will fall to 19 per cent.

With One Nation predicted to receive 21-22 per cent of the primary vote, the election could see the Liberals trailing behind as the main opposition.

As of Friday, close to 400,000 early votes were cast last week, breaking the previous record of 212,466 cast in 2022.

However, on Saturday, 600 polling places will be open from 8 a.m. for those who prefer to wait for the day.

After voting, the polls will close at 18:00 and important counting will begin.