By 
The race for local government elections is now on, we are now witnessing political parties taking to the streets campaigning; as the country gears up, the Electoral Commission (IEC) has also made the necessary preparation ahead of the elections later this year.
The Chief Electoral Officer for the IEC Mr Sy Mamabolo said it is important for eligible voters to register in the area where they ordinarily reside in, and once the election date has been announced, they must also vote where they registered. Mamabolo further announced the voter registration date during a media briefing on Tuesday, 10 March 2026.
“The Electoral Commission hereby announces voter registration weekend on 20 to 21 June 2026 to maximize registration opportunities closer to where voters reside. The intended outcome of the registration weekend is to facilitate access to franchise and broaden electoral participation.
The timing of this registration weekend aligns with the current planning assumption, namely, that the Commission must stand ready to administer elections whenever, they are lawfully called. This alignment ensures procedural certainty, operational readiness and full compliance with the legal framework,” announced Sy Mamabolo.
Though the election date is not known yet, Mamabolo said following the completion of the process of voter registration, the IEC anticipates the proclamation of the election date by the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Mr Velenkosini Hlabisa.
He said once the election date is proclaimed, eligible voters will have until midnight on that same day to register to vote.
“The Commission’s position is that an early announcement of an election date is critical to allow South Africans to decide where they will be on voting day, as this directly determines where they register. For instance, a student studying in one province but ordinarily residing in another, must know whether they will be on campus or at home when the country votes.
That clarity ensures they register correctly and avoids unnecessary administrative complications closer to election day. In a local government election, there is no legal facility to vote outside of the voting station of registration.
This is a necessary requirement as it ensures that voters vote in a ward election that has a relationship with their place of ordinary residence. In other words, voters vote for ward councillors to represent the communities in which they live,” said the Chief Electoral Officer.
