IEC urges 678 525 special voters to be at home for election visits
The IEC will conduct home visits on November 2 and 3, warning approved voters that officials will not return if they are absent.
The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) has urged voters approved for home-visit special voting in the 2026 Local Government Elections to remain at their registered addresses on November 2 and 3 until electoral officials arrive.
The IEC will visit 678 525 voters who have been approved to cast their ballots at home because of physical infirmity or disability.
During a media briefing on Sunday, November 1, the IEC warned that officials would not return to addresses where voters were absent when they first arrived.
“Given a sheer high number of home visitations to be made within the two days, often covering vast areas, the officials will not return to the same address if they do not find the voters when they arrive at the property for the first time,” said the IEC’s chief electoral officer, Sy Mamabolo.
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Approved voters are therefore urged to remain available at the addresses provided in their applications throughout the two days of special voting.
KZN recorded the highest number of approved home visits, with 143 714 voters.
However, voters who miss their home visits will still have an opportunity to cast their ballots at their voting stations on Election Day, November 4.
“However, voters who miss the home visit by the election officials are not disenfranchised. Such voters can still visit their voting station on November 4 to exercise their right to vote,” Mamabolo said.
The IEC has deployed 127 000 electoral officials to administer home visits and voting station-based special voting over the two days.
Home-visit officials will work in teams and may be accompanied by political party agents and observers.
The IEC also reminded stakeholders that access to homes and places of confinement by anyone other than electoral officials remains at the discretion of approved voters and the institutions where they are hosted.
It has called on all stakeholders to respect the integrity of the process and avoid conduct that could intimidate voters or officials, obstruct voting, or interfere with approved home-visit routes and election materials.
Special votes will be securely stored and reconciled with the special vote records before being counted alongside ballots cast on Election Day.
