The Electoral Commission says it is prepared for the November 4 elections but has acknowledged challenges in reaching voters registered for special votes at their homes.
The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) in the North West has established 1,730 voting stations across the province as preparations intensify for the 2026 Local Government Elections.
The provincial commission says the voting stations include 51 temporary facilities distributed across the province’s four districts to ensure eligible voters can exercise their democratic right.
Provincial Electoral Officer Bonolo Modise said the IEC had put measures in place to accommodate voters, including those unable to travel to voting stations and who require special voting arrangements.
However, the commission has acknowledged operational challenges associated with conducting home visits, particularly when officials arrive at registered voters’ residences and find that they are unavailable.
IEC acknowledges challenges with special votes
Modise explained that IEC officials deployed to conduct home visits sometimes encounter situations where registered voters are not at their residences when teams arrive.
In such cases, voters may have to make alternative arrangements, where possible, to visit their nearest voting station.
The home visits form part of the commission’s efforts to accommodate eligible voters who cannot physically travel to voting stations during the special voting period.
The IEC has not yet released confirmed figures for the number of voters who participated in the first day of special voting.
Modise said it was still too early to establish overall participation figures, with a clearer picture expected once the special voting process concludes.
Special voting continues on Tuesday, ahead of the main voting day scheduled for Wednesday, November 4.
IEC mourns death of provincial commissioner
Meanwhile, the North West IEC has also expressed condolences following the reported death of one of its provincial commissioners on Tuesday morning.
Modise conveyed the commission’s sympathies to the bereaved family and assured them of the IEC’s support during the difficult period.
Despite the loss, the commission says it remains focused on ensuring that electoral preparations continue and that voting proceeds smoothly across the province.
With 1,730 voting stations established, the IEC says it is working to ensure that eligible voters across the North West can participate in the upcoming local government elections.
