The Electoral Commission has welcomed the proclamation of 4 November 2026 as the election date for the 2026 Local Government Elections by the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), Velenkosini Hlabisa.
"The proclamation provides certainty by formally setting Wednesday, 4 November 2026, as Election Day. It also marks the commencement of the country's 89-day Election Timetable leading up to the elections, “Electoral Commission Chairperson Commissioner Mosotho Moepya said on Friday.
Addressing the media in Pretoria on Friday, Moepya said the Commission is publishing the 2026 Local Government Elections timetable in the Government Gazette, as required by the Local Government: Municipal Electoral Act, 2000, and its regulations.
"This timetable signifies the formal commencement of the electoral process, providing legal certainty and operational clarity to all electoral stakeholders, including political parties, independent candidates, voters, the media, civil society organisations and election administrators," he said.
Moepya explained that the Election Timetable serves as the guiding framework for various preparations, ranging from the finalisation and certification of the voters' roll for these elections to candidate nominations, objections, voting arrangements, special votes and the declaration of results.
It ensures that every phase of the process is conducted in accordance with the Constitution and applicable electoral legislation, promoting accountability and fairness throughout the election period.
All activities prescribed in the timetable must be completed by 5 pm on the respective cut-off dates.
The proclamation has also activated the Electoral Code of Conduct, which sets standards for fairness in the electoral process.
"A significant outcome of the proclamation is the closure of the voters' roll at midnight tonight. After this time, no new voter registrations or changes to registration details will be accepted for the 2026 Local Government Elections.
"The Commission urges all eligible South Africans to register or update their details before the deadline via the 'data-free' online registration portal at registertovote.elections.org.za or the WhatsApp channel 0600 88 0000," Moepya said.
The Commissioner said that on Tuesday, 11 August 2026, the provisional voters' roll will be available for inspection at national, provincial and local offices.
"This begins the period for lodging objections, which will close on 18 August 2026, with decisions communicated by 24 August 2026. The Chief Electoral Officer will certify the final voters' roll on 26 August 2026," he said.
Update on the registration drive
Moepya said the Commission has reported significant improvements in voter registration access due to investments in digital technology.
"With 1,794,051 registration transactions recorded during the second registration weekend, an additional 210,734 transactions have been recorded since, bringing the total to two million.
"The introduction of the data-free online voter registration portal has facilitated access, while the WhatsApp channel has broadened outreach, with more than 14,000 registrations recorded since its launch," he said.
The Commissioner added that, in the interest of transparency, the Commission will publish the list of voting stations on 14 August 2026, which will include mobile voting stations and their routes across the country.
Candidate nominations open
Moepya said candidate nominations officially opened today and will close at 5 pm on 28 August 2026. Registered political parties and independent candidates have 21 calendar days to submit their candidate lists.
"Two nomination channels are available: the Online Candidate Nomination System (OCNS) and manual submission at the Commission office.
"The Commission has facilitated the process by opening the OCNS early, allowing candidates to input their details in advance. As part of the nomination process, monetary deposits are required, which are refundable under certain conditions," he said.
Political contestation and special votes
Moepya said there are currently 674 registered political parties, highlighting the anticipated level of competition in the local government elections.
"The Election Timetable also accommodates citizens who are unable to vote on Election Day through special votes, with applications opening on 21 September 2026," he said. -SAnews.gov.za
