More than 1.4 million South Africans cast special votes ahead of Election Day
· The South African
More than 1.4 million South Africans have already cast their ballots in the 2026 Local Government Elections, with the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) declaring itself ready for Wednesday’s nationwide vote.
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The two-day special voting process concluded on Tuesday, 3 November, with 1 425 942 voters recorded as having cast their ballots.
Of these, 974 852 voted at voting stations, while 451 090 cast their ballots through home visits.
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Preliminary numbers
The IEC said approximately 2.6 million voters had been approved for special voting because they would otherwise be unable to vote on Election Day.
That means just under 55% of those who applied for a special vote actually ended up casting their vote.
The figures are preliminary and were expected to be finalised on Tuesday evening.
Gauteng records the most special votes
Gauteng recorded the highest number of special votes, with 264 898, followed by KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape.
The provincial breakdown was:
- Gauteng: 264,898
- KwaZulu-Natal: 208,846
- Eastern Cape: 207,258
- Limpopo: 180,627
- Mpumalanga: 149,714
- Western Cape: 148,493
- North West: 126,187
- Free State: 75,946
- Northern Cape: 63,973
The IEC confirmed that special ballots had been securely stored and would be counted alongside ballots cast on Election Day.
They will form part of the overall results announced for each voting station.
29.2 million voters registered
The IEC says it is operationally ready for Wednesday’s election, with arrangements in place across all nine provinces.
A total of 29.2 million voters are registered to participate in the 2026 Local Government Elections, with 23 696 voting stations established nationwide.
Approximately 188 000 IEC officials have been deployed to support the process. The Commission says ballot papers and essential election materials have been distributed, with logistical and security arrangements in place.
Voting stations will open at 07:00 and close at 21:00 on Wednesday, 4 November.
What voters need to take to the polls
The IEC has reminded voters that they may only cast their ballots at the voting station where they are registered.
Voters must present one of the following identity documents:
- A green bar-coded South African ID book
- A smart ID card
- A valid Temporary Identity Certificate issued by Home Affairs
Voters can check their registration details, voting station and sequence number through the following channels:
- WhatsApp: 060 088 0000
- IEC Contact Centre: 0800 11 8000
- SMS: 32810 (R1 per SMS)
- Website: www.elections.org.za
Providing a sequence number to election officials can help them locate a voter’s details more quickly.
Campaigning ends at midnight
Political parties, independent candidates and their supporters must stop campaigning at midnight on Tuesday, 3 November.
Door-to-door campaigning, canvassing, demonstrations and political rallies will no longer be permitted after the deadline.
The IEC also reminded contestants that campaigning and attempts to influence voters inside or in the immediate vicinity of voting stations are prohibited.
Voters may wear party colours, however, provided they do not engage in prohibited campaigning or attempts to influence others.
Important rules inside voting stations
The Commission has urged voters to protect the secrecy of their ballots and follow the rules inside voting stations.
Ballot papers must be marked privately in the designated voting booth. Taking photographs of completed or marked ballot papers is strictly prohibited.
Voters must also avoid intimidating or obstructing other voters or election officials. Dangerous weapons are not permitted inside voting stations, and disruptive behaviour is prohibited.
The IEC has further urged South Africans to verify election-related information through official channels before sharing it on social media, warning that false or misleading information can undermine confidence in the electoral process.
The Commission has called on voters, political parties, independent candidates and observers to help ensure a peaceful and orderly Election Day.
