SA PREPARES FOR 2026 LOCAL ELECTIONS: Digital registration advances while e-voting consultation begins for future elections

The Electoral Commission of South Africa has launched comprehensive preparations for the upcoming 2026 Local Government Elections (LGE), emphasising technological innovations to increase voter participation and streamline the electoral process. In a recent update, the Commission presented its strategic roadmap while encouraging both new and existing voters to utilise the online self-voter registration platform to manage their registration status remotely.

Introduced in 2021, the self-voter registration platform represents a significant milestone in the Commission's efforts to modernise electoral systems and enhance accessibility. This digital innovation has already demonstrated remarkable success in maintaining an accurate and current voters' roll.

Since June last year, the Electoral Commission has engaged with 408 615 voters across its various registration platforms. Of these, more than 258 838 were first-time registrants, with young people comprising the majority of new voters.

Chief Electoral Officer Sy Mamabolo highlighted the effectiveness of the online platform: “We urge all eligible South Africans to use this modality to register, and those who are already registered to check and, if necessary, update their address details to ensure that they continue to shape affairs of their communities by participating in by-elections in wards where they are ordinarily resident.”

According to the legal framework governing municipal elections, several critical steps must be completed sequentially to ensure the successful election of local representatives. With ward boundary consultations currently under way, the Electoral Commission anticipates the elections will take place between November 2026 and the end of January 2027.

The electoral timeline is structured as follows:

• Municipal councils serve five-year terms

• Elections must be held within 90 days of the term's conclusion

• The term end date is calculated from the day following the previous general elections

• The current municipal councils were elected on 1 November 2021

• Based on this calculation, the elections must be held between 2 November 2026 and 30 January 2027

The Minister and Members of the Executive Council (MECs) have fulfilled their responsibilities thus far. The delimitation exercise commenced on 3 April 2025, enabling the Municipal Demarcation Board (MDB) to launch public consultations on ward boundaries. This process will culminate with the MDB transferring the finalised ward boundaries to the Commission by the end of October 2025. These wards establish the political boundaries within which the next municipal council elections will be contested. In the corresponding 2021 elections, 4 600 wards were delineated.

Upon receiving the ward boundaries, the Electoral Commission will verify that its network of 23 292 voting districts aligns with the ward structure. Where discrepancies arise due to ward demarcation changes, the Commission will undertake targeted communication and re-registration campaigns to ensure affected voters are registered in their wards of ordinary residence.

Electronic Voting Consultation

The Electoral Commission has initiated a national dialogue regarding electronic voting (e-voting) following a successful three-day e-voting conference in March 2025. This consultative public debate

process will span six months, providing all stakeholders the opportunity to express their perspectives on e-voting. Parliament will subsequently evaluate the feedback and determine the next steps in this gradual, phased approach.

At the conference, the Commission published a discussion document to catalyse nationwide deliberation on the integration of technology in electoral processes.

Key insights from the conference revealed:

• The Commission has not yet committed to adopting e-voting; the conference marked the beginning of comprehensive national consultations on the matter. The decision, which profoundly impacts citizens' voting experience, extends beyond the Commission's purview.

• Elections function within a broader ecosystem, requiring the Commission to carefully consider environmental and contextual factors rather than acting in isolation.

• Public trust is fundamental to the successful implementation of e-voting, necessitating an accessible and inclusive consultation process.

• Any solution adopted must address existing inefficiencies rather than perpetuating them, ultimately enhancing the experience for voters and other stakeholders.

Stakeholders wishing to contribute to the consultation can find the document at www.elections.org.za, and submit their input via email to evoting@elections.org.za with the subject “E-Voting Consultation”.

The Electoral Commission emphasises its commitment to transparency throughout any advancement of the voting process, ensuring that any proposed e-voting system will meet or exceed the reliability and security standards of the current paper-based system.

Preparing for Democracy's Future

As South Africa moves toward the 2026 Local Government Elections, the Electoral Commission continues to enhance digital registration while separately laying groundwork for possible electronic voting in future electoral cycles. While the 2026 elections will maintain the established paper-based voting system, the ongoing consultation about e-voting represents a significant forward-thinking approach to democratic participation for elections beyond 2026.

The digital registration innovations already implemented, combined with respect for established democratic principles, aim to increase accessibility while maintaining the integrity that South African voters have come to expect. The coming months will be crucial as ward boundaries are finalised and voter education campaigns intensify, ultimately working toward elections that are both technologically supported and truly representative of local communities' needs and aspirations.

2026 LOCAL ELECTIONS AT A GLANCE

• Election Window: 2 Nov 2026 – 30 Jan 2027

• Ward Boundary Consultations: Finalised by Oct 2025

• Digital Voter Registration: 408 000+ registrations 258 000+ are first-time voters Youth leading the way

• E-Voting Update: Public consultations underway No final decision has been taken Have your say: evoting@elections.org.za