The Local Government Elections (LGE) 2026 will take place on November 4, in line with the tradition of the previous elections held in November. The last one was held in 2021.

The Electoral Commission of South Africa welcomed the announcement by President Cyril Ramaphosa. Once the election date is proclaimed, eligible voters will have until midnight on that same day to register to vote.

The IEC, however, notes that this announcement does not constitute the formal proclamation of the election date. In terms of the law, the official proclamation will be made by the Minister of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs, at which point the voters’ roll will be closed.

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Chief Electoral Officer Sy Mamabolo said: “The announcement of the election date provides clarity for all roleplayers and certainty of planning for the Electoral Commission as we continue our work to deliver free and fair municipal elections.”

The Electoral Commission has encouraged all eligible South Africans who are not yet registered or who have changed their place of residence to ensure they are registered in the voting district where they ordinarily reside, as voters may only vote at the voting station where they are registered.

Also read: Freedom Day legacy fuels new generation of voters ahead of LGE

Prospective voters are invited to make use of the Commission’s online registration platform available at registertovote.elections.org.za by visiting the Electoral Commission website on a desktop computer or mobile phone to register or update their registration details.

Currently, the total number of registered political parties is 508. A total of 20 new parties were registered in the period between October 2025 and February 2026.

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