IEC announces first voter registration weekend ahead of local polls
The Independent Electoral Commission has announced the dates for the first voter registration weekend ahead of the upcoming local government elections.
The voter registration drive will take place on 20 and 21 June, the IEC said.
The commission briefed the media on its state of readiness and preparations for the polls in Pretoria on Tuesday.
By law, the next election must be held within 90 days of the expiry of the municipal councils’ terms, which is scheduled for 1 November.
Minister of Cooperative Governance Velenkosini Hlabisa will have to find a suitable date for the elections to be held between November 2026 and January 2027.
"The intended outcome of the registration weekend is to facilitate access to franchise and broaden electoral participation," explained IEC Chief Electoral Officer Sy Mamabolo.
"Following the completion of the process of voter registration, we anticipate the proclamation of the election date by the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs.
"Once the election date is proclaimed, eligible voters will have until midnight on that same day to register to vote,” he added.
The IEC also provided an update on the total number of registered political parties, which now stands at 508, with 20 new parties registered between October 2025 and February 2026.
Of these, 299 are registered at the national level, while 209 are registered at the provincial, district, or metropolitan municipality level.
