Johannesburg – The Electoral Commission will, this weekend, Saturday, 11 April 2026, and Sunday, 12 April 2026, hold voter registration in Gauteng and the North West ahead of the municipal by-elections scheduled to take place on Wednesday, 27 May 2026.
Voting stations will open from 08h00 to 17h00 to allow all eligible voters to register and for current voters to check their registration details and to provide/update address details where necessary.
The Electoral Commission has reminded eligible voters to bring their identity document (ID) for registration, either a green barcoded ID book, a smartcard ID, or a valid Temporary ID Certificate.
Eligible voters will be required to complete their physical home address on registration or provide sufficient particulars of their place of residence.
Documented proof of address (e.g., a municipal account) is not required.
Voters may also check and update their details at their local (municipal) Electoral Commission (IEC) office on weekdays during office hours.
Voters are reminded that it is a criminal offence to register and vote in a ward in which they are not ordinarily resident.
The by-elections will be held as follows:
• Ward 28 in the Emfuleni Municipality – GT421, the ward became vacant because of the termination of the councillor’s membership from the party.
Registration and voting will take place at the following stations:
• Ward 02 in the Mafikeng Municipality – NW383, the ward became vacant because of the councillor’s death.
Registration and voting will take place at the following stations:
Voters wishing to apply to cast a special vote can apply online via the IEC’s website, http://www.elections.org.za, between 11 May 2026 and 15 May 2026.
Special voting will take place at voting stations as well as through home visits on 26 May 2026 between 08h00 and 17h00.
Once voters have applied online, they will receive an SMS notifying them of the outcome when their application has been processed.
They can also check the status of their special vote application on the IEC website.
Voters can also visit their local IEC office weekdays during office hours.
Voters can also apply for special votes via cell phone by SMSing their identity number to 32249 (charged at R1).
The SMS application facility is only available for those applying to cast a special vote at their voting station and NOT for home visits.
For more information on these by-elections, contact your local (municipal) IEC office weekdays during office hours.
Contact details for all IEC offices are available on the IEC website at www.elections.org.za under Contact Us.
