Special votes start tomorrow: who votes on 2 and 3 November, and how

Special voting for the 2026 local government elections starts tomorrow. If your special vote was approved, you vote on Monday 2 or Tuesday 3 November, between 08:00 and 17:00, a day or two before everyone else goes to the polls on Wednesday 4 November (IEC calendar, election timetable).

A record 2,655,067 special votes were approved this time, up 131% from 1,147,759 in the 2021 municipal elections, the Electoral Commission said (IEC).

Who can vote on 2 and 3 November?

Only voters whose special vote applications were approved. Applications opened on 21 September and closed at 17:00 on 12 October, and the IEC says special votes can only be cast on the dates in the election timetable, with no exceptions (IEC, IEC special votes page).

There are two kinds of special vote:

Sources: IEC, IEC special votes page

Home visits are mostly used by older voters. People aged 60 and over made up 79.6% of approved home visit applications, and women 74% (IEC).

How many special votes were approved in your province?

Source: IEC, figures captured by mid-October while manual applications were still being finalised. KwaZulu-Natal has the most home visits (143,714) and Gauteng the most voting station special votes (391,589).

What do you need to take?

Your valid South African ID: a smart ID card, a green barcoded ID book or a valid temporary identity certificate (IEC special votes page). Driver's licences, passports, student cards and photocopies of your ID are not accepted for voting (SAnews).

What happens when you cast a special vote?

Your thumbnail is marked with ink and you get your ballot papers. You mark them in private, then seal them in a plain envelope. That envelope goes into a second one marked with your name, ID number and voting district number, which is thrown away before counting so nobody can link you to your vote. Officials put it in a sealed special votes ballot box and mark your name on the voters' roll with "SV" (IEC special votes page).

In a metro you get two ballots (ward and party list). In a local municipality you get three, including a district council ballot (SAnews).

What if you're getting a home visit?

Be at the address you gave on both days, from 08:00 to 17:00. Election officials won't be able to come back if you weren't home when they called, the Parys Gazette reports, citing IEC guidance (Parys Gazette).

What if you miss your special vote?

Yes. If you were approved for a home visit but weren't in when officials came, you can vote at your registered voting station on 4 November, according to the Parys Gazette. Stations open from 07:00 to 21:00 on election day, and in municipal elections you can only vote at the station where you are registered (IEC calendar, SAnews).

How do you check your special vote status?

Use only the IEC's official channels:

• The "check your special vote status" tool on the IEC website. You should also have had an SMS once your application was processed.
• To confirm where you're registered, SMS your ID number to 32810 (R1 per SMS) or send "Hi" to the IEC WhatsApp line on 060 088 0000 (SAnews).
• The IEC contact centre on 0800 11 8000 (IEC).