Special votes soar ahead of the 2026 local elections. Here’s what you need to know

Special votes have hit a record high ahead of South Africa’s local government elections.

More than 2.65 million applications have been approved.

That’s more than double the number approved in 2021.

Here’s what you need to know: approved voters will cast their ballots on 2 and 3 November, ahead of election day on Wednesday, 4 November.

The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) released the figures at a briefing in Pretoria on Wednesday, 14 October.

HOW MANY SPECIAL VOTES WERE APPROVED?

The IEC approved a record 2,655,067 special vote applications. That’s a 131% increase on the 1,147,759 approved for the 2021 local government elections.

Applications opened on 21 September and closed at 17:00 on 12 October.

According to the IEC, most were submitted through its online platform.

The IEC also reported that preliminary figures show a 13% increase in voter registrations compared with the 2021 local government elections.

TWO TYPES OF SPECIAL VOTES

Special votes fall into two categories.

Home visits are for voters who can’t travel to their voting station because of physical infirmity or disability.

For these voters, IEC officials visit them at home.

The IEC approved 678,525 home visit applications, up 33.7% from 2021.

Voting station visits are for voters who can get to their voting station, but can’t vote there on Election Day.

Instead, they vote at their station before election day.

Approvals in this category jumped to 1,976,542, up from 602,850 in 2021.

This includes voters who may be away from their voting district on Election Day, such as people working in essential services, security services and the media.

WHERE THE MOST SPECIAL VOTES WERE APPROVED

Gauteng recorded the highest number of approved special votes, at 480,721.

The Eastern Cape followed, with 401,971. KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga and the Western Cape rounded out the top six.

Women made up the majority of applicants.

They accounted for 74% of home visit applications and 64% of voting station applications.

IMPORTANT DATES FOR VOTERS

• 2 and 3 November: Special voting takes place, at home or at voting stations.
• 4 November: Election Day for all other registered voters.

WHAT ELSE VOTERS NEED TO KNOW

For the 2026 elections, voters may only vote at the voting station where they registered.

The elections will decide the make-up of municipal councils across the country.

These include eight metropolitan municipalities, 44 district municipalities and 205 local municipalities.

IS THE IEC READY?

According to IEC chief electoral officer Sy Mamabolo, the commission is on track.

The IEC has already printed more than 66% of the 79 million ballot papers it needs, and expects to finish production by 18 October.

In addition, the commission has secured all 23,696 voting stations.

The IEC has also distributed most non-security election materials to municipalities, ahead of special voting and Election Day.