The Electoral Commission has officially launched the 2026 Local Government Elections (LGE), marking the commencement of the mass awareness campaign towards Election Day on 4 November 2026.
From today, the Commission will roll out a national campaign across multiple platforms, including television, radio, digital, and social media, to ensure broad reach and accessibility, while reinforcing the importance of civic responsibility and democratic participation ahead of the elections.
Since the dawn of democracy in 1994, the Electoral Commission has successfully delivered five (5) Local Government Elections, each marking a significant milestone in the evolution of local democracy and the consolidation of municipalities as theatres of civic engagement. As the sixth (6th) instalment, the 2026 Local Government Elections take place amid notable changes in domestic and global political landscapes.
The announcement of the 4 November 2026 election date by His Excellency, President Cyril Ramaphosa, has provided the Electoral Commission and all stakeholders with clarity and certainty for planning. This launch is a practical manifestation of that certainty and an assurance that plans are firmly in the execution phase for delivering an election that meets the standard envisioned in our Constitution.
On 1 April 2026, the Commission unveiled the elections logo and media campaign under the tagline, “Get Up, Show Up, Vote.” This powerful call to action is aimed at motivating all eligible voters - particularly young people - to actively participate in the electoral process.
Voter Registration Weekend
Today’s launch marks the beginning of intensified public awareness ahead of the national voter registration weekend on 20 and 21 June 2026. Just under 24 000 registration stations across 4 488 municipal wards will open over the two days to enable citizens to register, verify their personal details, and ensure correct registration.
Preparations are well advanced, with the Department of Home Affairs ensuring that offices will be open nationwide to facilitate citizens’ applications for identity documents, which are a prerequisite for voter registration.
Voter engagements
The Commission has deployed over 800 Municipal Outreach Coordinators, including persons with disabilities, across the country to drive voter education and awareness, reinforcing inclusive participation ahead of the elections. Since the beginning of 2026, more than 62,336 community events have been conducted nationwide, strengthening sustained voter education and public engagement.
A targeted door-to-door voter communication and registration campaign has been completed across 99% of municipalities (212 out of 214) between 11 and 24 May 2026. This campaign informed citizens of recent Municipal Demarcation Board changes to certain ward boundaries and the consequential revision of some voting districts. The Commission thanks the Board for its cooperation in completing the ward delimitation process and handing over final ward boundaries.
The Commission’s voter education and registration programmes continue to yield strong results. The Tertiary Institutions Campaign has reached 97 894 students across 1,086 activations in all nine provinces, with 45 757 students successfully registered – demonstrating its impact in promoting youth participation.
The Schools Democracy Programme, implemented in partnership with the Department of Basic Education, continues to build awareness by educating learners on democratic principles and electoral processes, while encouraging eligible learners aged 16 and older to pre-register.
Combating disinformation
The Electoral Commission recognises that the pervasive use of social media is a double-edged sword. While it expands access to information, enhances participation, and broadens reach for political parties and candidates, it is also susceptible to manipulation and distortion, which may undermine information integrity – an indispensable component of a credible electoral process.
The Commission has previously mitigated disinformation through, among others, collaboration with civil society and the use of the Real411 platform for flagging and reporting misleading content.
This work has been strengthened through policy development. Guided by the Constitution and other relevant prescripts, the Commission will issue a draft Code of Conduct on Misinformation for public comment. The draft seeks to embed safeguards against fraudulent and manipulated content to preserve information integrity during the elections.
Innovations and interventions
In response to declining voter turnout and the need to increase participation, the Commission has implemented several innovations:
1. Online registration The online registration portal has improved the accuracy and stability of the voters’ roll by enabling real-time updates and offsetting losses due to mortality. Between January and May 2026, 376,140 new registrations were recorded, reflecting strong uptake - particularly among young voters.
The total number of registered voters currently stands at 27,912,415, exceeding the figures recorded at the time of the 2024 general elections. This achievement comes despite an average monthly loss of 34,000 voters due to mortality.
2. Youth-focused edutainment series The Commission has introduced a youth-focused series, “Beats for My Peeps,” in partnership with the SABC. The programme uses music, culture, and digital creators to address voter apathy, dispel misinformation, and promote participation. It will air on SABC1 at 18:00 from 3 June 2026.
3. IEC Podcast Launched in April 2026, the IEC Podcast provides accessible, real-time information via mobile and digital platforms. It is available on the Commission’s official YouTube channel.
4. IEC Media App An IEC Media Application has been developed to streamline accreditation and engagement with journalists. The app enables interview scheduling, access to FAQs, Commission announcements, podcast content, and real-time updates. Several journalists attending this launch have already been onboarded.
5. Contact Centre A total of 64,062 citizen interactions have been recorded across voice (in all official languages), email, live chat, and social media channels – engagement levels not possible under previous models.
The Contact Centre has evolved into a multi-channel service offering voice, live chat, email, and social media support. Notably, in 2024, live chat surpassed voice as the most-used channel, reflecting shifting communication preferences.
For the first time, the Contact Centre remained operational between the 2024 National and Provincial Elections and the 2026 registration period, in response to sustained public demand.
It is now fully capacitated to assist in all 11 official languages. In addition, a multichannel AI agent, Vota, has been deployed to extend services after hours and support peak demand. Where necessary, queries are seamlessly escalated to human agents. Vota is currently trained on voter registration and will be continuously updated.
These interventions reflect a fundamental principle: the Electoral Commission operates on the twin currencies of trust and responsiveness.
6. The Atlas of Results
The Commission is publishing the Atlas of Results for the 2024 National and Provincial Elections – a comprehensive geospatial analysis presenting the voters’ roll and election results in an interactive, map-based format.
This tool will assist citizens, political parties, researchers, and stakeholders in understanding registration and voting patterns. Its early release makes it a valuable planning resource for campaign targeting ahead of the 2026 LGE.
Get ready to vote
The Commission is committed to delivering credible elections through collective responsibility, vigilance, and active collaboration with all stakeholders – particularly in the face of rising misinformation.
The media remains central to ensuring accurate electoral reporting. The Commission is working with SANEF, SALGA, MDDA, Africa Check, and Moxii Africa to train over 500 journalists across all nine provinces.
Before concluding, all eligible South Africans are reminded that voter registration will take place on Saturday, 20 June and Sunday, 21 June 2026, 8am to 5pm both days.
Unregistered citizens are encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity, while registered voters should verify that their details – particularly their voting district – are correct. Voters will only be permitted to vote at the station where they are registered.
How can citizens register:
- Get your identity document ready and register or check your address details online at: registertovote.elections.org.za
- Find your correct voting station to visit on the registration weekend at maps.elections.org.za/vsfinder
- Visit local Electoral Commission offices on weekdays between 08h00 and 17h00.
Media Enqueries:
Kate Bapela
Cell: 082 600 6386
Media Interviews:
Email: spokesperson@elections.org.za
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