Pretoria:Special voting for the 2026 Local Government Elections has successfully concluded, with a total of 1,425,942 voters participating between 2 and 3 November 2026, as confirmed by the Electoral Commission.
According to South African Government News Agency, the Electoral Commission reported that the special voting process was designed to accommodate approximately 2.6 million approved voters who were unable to vote on Election Day. The Commission facilitated special voting through both voting stations and home visits. IEC Chairperson Mosotho Moepya confirmed that by the close of voting, 1,425,942 voters had cast their votes during the two-day period.
The special voting sessions began at 8 am and ended at 5 pm on both days. This initiative is part of an inclusivity mechanism aimed at helping registered voters who face challenges such as physical disabilities or other reasons preventing them from voting on the official Election Day. Of those who participated, 974,852 voted at designated voting stations, while 451,090 utilized home visits.
The preliminary provincial breakdown of voters includes Gauteng with 264,898, KwaZulu-Natal with 208,846, Eastern Cape at 207,258, and Limpopo at 180,627, among others. These figures are set to be finalized later. The special votes have been securely stored and will be counted alongside the Election Day ballots on 4 November 2026, with results announced per voting station.
The Electoral Commission expressed satisfaction with the turnout and enthusiasm shown by South Africans during the special voting. However, they also addressed incidents of intimidation and disruptions, stating that legal action will be taken against those responsible.
South Africans are expected to proceed to the polls on 4 November to continue the voting process for the 2026 Local Government Elections.