South Africans head to the polls today, Wednesday, 4 November 2026, as the Electoral Commission (IEC) says it is fully prepared to conduct the 2026 Local Government Elections following the successful completion of the two-day special voting process.
The IEC announced that approximately 1.43 million approved voters cast their ballots during special voting on 2 and 3 November. Of these, 974,852 voted at voting stations, while 451,090 cast their votes through home visits. Gauteng recorded the highest number of special votes at 264,898, followed by KwaZulu-Natal with 208,846 and the Eastern Cape with 207,258.
The Commission said all special vote ballots have been securely stored and will be counted together with today’s Election Day ballots after voting stations close.
The IEC confirmed that all 23,696 voting stations across the country are ready to welcome the more than 29.2 million registered voters. Around 188,000 election officials have been deployed to assist voters and ensure the elections are conducted efficiently and according to electoral procedures.
Voting stations opened at 7am today and will close at 9pm. Any voter who is already in the queue at 9pm will still be allowed to vote. Voters must cast their ballot at the voting station where they are registered and present a valid Smart ID card, green barcoded ID book or Temporary Identity Certificate.
The IEC also reminded voters that ballot papers must be marked in secret and that taking photographs of completed ballot papers is strictly prohibited. Campaigning, canvassing and displaying campaign material at or near voting stations are not allowed, while voters are urged to help maintain a peaceful and orderly voting environment.
The Commission encouraged members of the public to verify election-related information through official channels before sharing it on social media, warning that false or misleading information could undermine confidence in the electoral process.
In its message to the country, the IEC called on voters, political parties, independent candidates and all stakeholders to uphold democratic principles and contribute to a free, fair, credible and peaceful Election Day.
“The Commission wishes all South Africans a peaceful and successful Election Day,” the IEC said.
