The 2026 Local Government Elections are underway with the casting of special votes. The Electoral Commission has approved over 2.6 million people for this category of voting ahead of Wednesday.
Nearly half a million of them are in Gauteng, followed by the Eastern Cape.
The IEC explains that the two-day special vote caters for registered voters who may not be able to reach their voting stations on 4 November due to physical infirmity or disability, or those who may not be in their wards on election day.
Members of the IEC will conduct home visits to some 678 000 voters, while more than 1.9 million voters will cast their ballots at their registered polling stations. Voting stations on Monday and Tuesday open at 8am and close at 5pm.
Voters are reminded to check through the IEC’s channels to ensure they are at the correct polling station and to also take along their ID book, smartcard, or their valid temporary identity certificate.
At least 217 voting stations in the City of Cape Town have not opened on time for the first day of special voting for the municipal elections.
Provincial Electoral Officer, Michael Hendrickse, says despite the best efforts of the IEC and the printing company contracted to carry out the production of the ballots, there has been an unforeseen delay in the delivery of the ballots in some areas.
He adds that the situation is fluid and the affected voting stations are opening as they receive the ballots. Hendrickse has assured citizens that all security measures are in place for the transport and delivery of these ballots.
Those who have been approved for special voting have 2 and 3 November to cast their vote.
In the Western Cape, some 235 000 voters are approved for special voting. The provincial electoral officer, Michael Hendrickse, says about 72 000 of them will be home visits.
“For home visits, we’ve recruited 1 850 special vote teams. These are electoral officials who will be going out to those homes. Many of them are, for example, retirement homes.
The largest number of home visits will be in Mossel Bay. There’s a particular voting district where we need to make over 500 home visits.”
