Elections 2026: Special vote application closes soon

The deadline for the special vote application is fast approaching and South Africans only have three days left to register.

1 hour ago

Dillon Pillay 1 minute read

South Africans only have three days left to apply for special vote. — South Africans only have three days left to apply for a special vote. Photo: Canva

THE Electoral Commission of South Africa’s (IEC) deadline for special vote applications closes on Monday (October 12).

Special vote dates are alternative dates you can cast your vote if you cannot travel to the voting stations because you are physically infirm, disabled or pregnant, or you are not available to vote on the original day (November 4).

Also read: IEC gazettes new Disinformation Code

You can apply for special vote as long as you are a South African and a registered voter.

How to apply

There are three ways in which you can apply for special vote:

Fill out the online application by visiting https://registertovote.elections.org.za/voter/specialvotes/application/submit
SMS your ID number to 32249 (R1.00 per SMS). This is only for special vote at a voting station, not home visit voting.
By visiting your local IEC office and submitting a Special Vote Application form. Forms can only be hand-delivered, but someone else can deliver your completed form on your behalf.

To cast your vote through a home visit you either need to fill out the online application or hand deliver a form to your local IEC office.

Process of a special vote

If your application is successful, you will vote as follows:

Your thumbnail is marked with indelible ink.
You receive the relevant ballot paper(s).
You mark the ballot(s) in secret, place and seal the ballot(s) in an unmarked envelope.
The unmarked envelope is placed in another envelope that is marked with your name, ID number and voting district (VD) number. The use of two envelopes is to ensure the secrecy of your ballot (the outer envelope is discarded before counting).
IEC officials take the envelope and place it in a secure ballot box for special votes.
Your name is marked off the Voters’ Roll with “SV” to indicate that you have cast a special vote

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At Caxton, every story is written by humans. We use AI only to perform quality checks - never to generate the news. Happy reading!

1 hour ago

Dillon Pillay 1 minute read

Dillon Pillay

He is a relatively new face in the journalism scene as he just recently graduated. He has a Bachelor in Journalism degree with a major in television. As a journalist at Southlands Sun he focuses on a variety of beats of news from hard news to social events and sports. He works as a multimedia journalist utilising his love for the camera and social media to good use.