Special voting for South Africa’ (SAs) 2026 Local Government Elections entered its final day across the country this Tuesday as the Electoral Commission of SA (IEC) manages a historic turnout ahead of tomorrow’s main election day.
The IEC approved more than 2.6 million special vote applications, the highest number recorded in SAs electoral history. Special voting caters to homebound citizens, persons with disabilities, election officials, and registered voters unable to visit their designated voting stations on election day.
Chief Electoral Officer Sy Mamabolo hailed the record-breaking turnout as an encouraging indicator of civic engagement and democratic inclusion.
“It’s the highest we’ve ever had. It’s incredible,” Mamabolo said. “The reality is that with every ensuing election, the number of special votes is increasing. So, it’s becoming a mechanism to include those who otherwise would not be able to vote. It’s an important part of the electoral scheme, which is free and fair.”
The record participation comes as election officials complete home visits and manage special voting stations nationwide before millions of South Africans cast their ballots tomorrow, November 4, 2026, to elect new municipal leadership across all nine provinces.
–ChannelAfrica–
