The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) says it has made major progress in preparing for the 2026 Local Government Elections (LGE), with key milestones achieved in voter registration, political party compliance, and consultation on possible electronic voting.
In a media briefing on Tuesday, the Commission said more than 305 000 new voters registered between January and September 2025, while just over 60 000 updated their registration details. The IEC noted that September saw the highest number of new registrations, followed by August and February.
Of the new registrations, 76.8% were processed through Voter Management Devices, 12% were completed online, and 10% took place at local IEC offices. The Commission said this showed growing use of digital platforms by young and first-time voters.
Despite the progress, the IEC urged more eligible South Africans to register and verify their details before the elections. Voters were reminded to register where they live and ensure they are assigned to the correct ward, especially if they have moved since the last election.
The Commission also presented its 2024/25 Annual Report to Parliament on 14 October, noting a strong performance across all operational areas. The report shows that the IEC achieved 92% of its key performance targets during the financial year and maintained its record of five consecutive clean audits.
The IEC said it was proud of its performance in electoral operations, political funding, democracy education, and governance.
On political party funding, the Commission reported that 90% of represented political parties had complied with the requirement to submit audited financial statements. Eighteen of the 20 represented parties submitted their statements by the deadline of 30 September 2025. Build One SA and the National Coloured Congress were issued formal directions for missing the submission deadline.
Among unrepresented parties, 28% complied with the reporting requirements. The IEC said 304 unrepresented parties that failed to comply were served with formal notices. The Commission stressed that all political parties were legally required to maintain proper financial records under the Political Funding Act and said analysis for full compliance was underway.
On the future of electronic voting, the IEC confirmed that national consultations concluded on 30 September 2025. The Commission said more than 20 stakeholder workshops were held across all nine provinces, and over 200 written submissions were received from the public.
Feedback from these consultations highlighted support for a cautious, phased approach to e-voting, the use of hybrid systems combining manual and electronic methods, and the need for extensive voter education. Participants also called for improved digital infrastructure, accessibility for all citizens, and clear legislation before implementing electronic voting.
The IEC said a revised policy paper on e-voting would be submitted to Parliament once consultations were fully consolidated. However, the Commission confirmed that electronic voting would not be introduced for the upcoming 2026 municipal elections.
As part of preparations for the elections, the IEC is proposing amendments to the Electoral Act. The changes include limiting objections to the provisional voters roll, introducing remedies for disputed addresses, and deregistering unrepresented parties that fail to confirm their existence by the set deadline.
Other proposed changes would restrict candidate nominations to political parties already registered when an election is called.
The IEC said it would present the draft bill to the Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs on 18 November 2025.
The Municipal Demarcation Board has briefed the IEC on progress in finalising ward boundaries. The final list of wards is expected to be handed over in December 2025, allowing the Commission to adjust voting district boundaries ahead of the elections.
The IEC reminded voters to confirm their registration details, as recent ward boundary changes could affect where they will cast their votes.
From April to October 2025, the Commission conducted 57 ward by-elections across the country. The highest number of vacancies were recorded in the Eastern Cape and Gauteng, followed by the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal. The average voter turnout for these by-elections was below 45%.
Between August and October alone, the IEC successfully delivered 22 by-elections, with no results contested or overturned.
The Commission noted that by-elections will cease from 30 April 2026, nine months before the next general municipal elections, in line with the Municipal Structures Act. However, proportional representation councillor vacancies may still be filled until the eve of the elections. Between April and October 2025, 183 proportional representative councillors were replaced.
Since the 2024 national and provincial elections, 62 new political parties have been registered. Fourteen of these were registered between August and October 2025. The total number of registered political parties now stands at 508, with 295 registered nationally and the rest at provincial, district, or metro level.
The Commission has also scheduled nationwide information workshops for November 2025 to assist potential candidates and unrepresented parties to prepare for participation in the elections.
In its civic and voter education drive, the IEC said it had reached more than 2.6 million people through over 18 000 community events across the nine provinces. These outreach efforts focused on preparing first-time voters and promoting active participation ahead of the 2026 polls.
The IEC concluded the briefing by calling on all eligible South Africans to register to vote and update their details. The Commission said every citizen’s participation was vital to strengthening democracy and ensuring fair and credible elections.
