IEC announces voter registration weekend

The Electoral Commission (IEC) has announced voter registration for the upcoming local government elections will take place over the weekend of June 20-21, 2026. The commission said on Tuesday that it aims to maximise registration opportunities closer to where voters reside. The intended outcome of the registration weekend is to facilitate access to franchise and broaden electoral participation.

“This alignment ensures procedural certainty, operational readiness and full compliance with the legal framework,” said the commission. The commission added that once voter registration is complete, the Minister of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) will announce the election date. “Once the election date is proclaimed, eligible voters will have until midnight on that same day to register to vote.” The commission added that an early announcement of an election date is critical to allow South Africans to decide where they will be on voting day, as this directly determines where they register. The commission added that in local government elections, there is no legal provision to vote outside the voting station of registration.