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IEC sends 28 million reprinted ballots before special voting

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The Electoral Commission of South Africa said printing of the reprinted ballot papers is complete and distribution would end on Sunday evening. Special voting for the 2026 local government elections starts on Monday, and general voting follows on 4 November.

Chief electoral officer Sy Mamabolo spoke at a press briefing at the national results centre on Sunday. The ballots were reprinted after a Constitutional Court ruling on 15 October. The court ordered the reinstatement of 181 ANC candidates who missed the candidate-list deadline. The relief was extended to 32 other parties, which affected ballots in 107 municipalities.

More than 2.6 million voters are approved to cast special votes over two days. Of these, 678 525 are approved for home visits, and KwaZulu-Natal has the most visits at 143 000. Nearly 2 million voters are approved to vote at voting stations, and Gauteng has the most, at 391 000. The commission deployed 127 000 electoral officials for home visits and special voting.

Mamabolo said weather forecasts show a high possibility of rain in parts of KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng and Mpumalanga over the next two days. He said voters who miss the home visit are not disenfranchised. They can still vote at their voting station on 4 November.

The commission accredited 117 domestic observer groups. About 15 African electoral commissions take part in its international visitors programme.

Key facts

Who
Sy Mamabolo (chief electoral officer of the IEC); Electoral Commission of South Africa (electoral body running the 2026 local government elections); African National Congress (party whose 181 candidates were ordered reinstated by the Constitutional Court); Constitutional Court (court that ruled on 15 October 2026 on candidate reinstatement)
What
IEC chief electoral officer Sy Mamabolo said printing of reprinted ballot papers was complete and distribution would conclude on Sunday evening. The ballots were reprinted after a Constitutional Court ruling on 15 October that 181 ANC candidates excluded for missing the candidate-list deadline must be reinstated; the relief was extended to 32 other parties, affecting ballots in 107 municipalities.
When
1 November 2026
Where
South Africa
Status
Reported

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