Has your voting station changed? Here’s how to check before the 2026 local elections

Scores of South Africans could arrive at the wrong voting station during the 2026 local government elections if they do not first check whether their ward or voting district has changed.

The Electoral Commission of SA (IEC) says some voters will no longer be able to vote where they previously did, due to a nationwide ward delimitation process by the Municipal Demarcation Board (MDB).

The changes were aimed to ensure communities are fairly represented as populations expand and people migrate between areas.

National IEC spokesperson Kate Bapela said voters whose wards or voting districts had changed may need to use different voting stations as local elections are directly linked to where people live.

“Where ward boundaries and voting districts have changed following the ward and voting district delimitation process, some voters may no longer vote at their previous voting station if that station now falls outside the voting district or ward in which they were registered,” said Bapela.

“This is necessary to ensure that voters participate in the correct ward election and receive the correct ballot papers applicable to the geographic area in which they ordinarily reside.”

In local government elections, people vote for ward councillors in the areas where they reside. This means voters must be registered in the correct ward and voting district.

The MDB redraws ward boundaries every five years before municipal elections. The process takes into account population growth and migration.

The IEC warned that voters who do not update their details could experience problems on election day.

“The commission strongly encourages all voters to verify and, where necessary, update their registration details well ahead of the elections,” said Bapela.

Voters can check or update their details by:

• Visiting the IEC’s voter portal;
• SMSing their ID number to 32810;
• Calling 0800-11-8000; or
• Sending a WhatsApp message to 0600-88-0000;

The IEC has launched a “voter awareness campaign” to help communities understand the changes before the elections.

The commission is working with political parties and community leaders to spread information in affected communities.

“Voters are encouraged to check their registration status and voting station details via the Electoral Commission’s official platforms and to update their information promptly if their residential address has changed or if they are uncertain about their voting district following the delimitation process,” said Bapela.

The IEC could still correct voter details before the voters’ roll is finalised if information was found to be incorrect, she added. “However, it is crucial for voters to voluntarily update their details early,” Bapela added

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