South Africans who are not yet registered to vote in the 2026 local government elections have only until midnight on Friday to secure their place on the voters’ roll, with the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) warning that anyone who misses the deadline will not be able to participate in the November 4 polls.
The final appeal came as Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa officially proclaimed November 4 2026 as election day, triggering the publication of the electoral timetable and the final countdown to the country’s local government elections.
“Register before midnight or miss out.”
That was the message from IEC chairperson Mosotho Moepya, who said the commission’s registration system would automatically close once the clock struck midnight.
“The electoral timetable will guide preparations, ranging from the finalisation and certification of the voters’ roll for this election, candidate nominations, objections and appeals, voting arrangements, special votes and the declaration of the election results themselves,” Moepya told journalists during a Friday afternoon briefing.
He stressed that the credibility of the election depended on a properly certified voters’ roll.
“The voters’ roll will close at midnight tonight. Once the voters’ roll closes, no new registrations or changes to registration details will be accepted for the 2026 local government elections,” he said.
Moepya urged anyone who had not yet registered or updated their voting details to do so on the IEC’s official online registration portal before the deadline expired.
Packed election programme
The proclamation also sets in motion a packed election programme over the next three months.
Candidate nominations officially opened on Friday and will close at 5pm on August 28, after which objections, appeals and the certification of candidate lists will follow ahead of election day.
The provisional voters’ roll will be available for public inspection from August 11 to 26, while applications for special votes will open on September 21 and close on October 12.
Moepya said the commission remained focused on delivering a free, fair and credible election, adding that every milestone contained in the electoral timetable was designed to ensure the integrity of the process.
The IEC has also recorded growing use of its digital registration platforms, including its recently launched WhatsApp service, as it seeks to make voter registration more accessible ahead of the final deadline.
With less than 90 days remaining before South Africans head to the polls, the commission’s message was unequivocal: those who fail to register before midnight will have to wait until the next election before they can cast a ballot.
- South Africans have until midnight on Friday to register to vote in the 2026 local government elections, or they will be unable to participate in the November 4 polls.
- The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) announced the voters' roll will close at midnight, after which no new registrations or changes will be accepted.
- Candidate nominations opened on Friday and will close at 5pm on August 28, followed by objections, appeals, and certification of candidate lists.
- The provisional voters' roll will be available for public inspection from August 11 to 26, and special vote applications will be accepted from September 21 to October 12.
- The IEC has increased use of digital registration methods, including a WhatsApp service, to facilitate voter registration before the deadline.
