Wednesday 4 November has been declared a public holiday in South Africa to give as many people as possible a chance to go voting and have a say in how their municipalities are run.

However, some employees will still have to put in a shift, while others have a long way to travel to get to their local voting booth.

And what happens if you’re still waiting in a queue when polling stations close?

Check out our cheat sheet below to confirm all your voting day logistics for the 2026 local government elections…

Voting hours and the rules around queues

Voting stations will open at 07:00 and remain open until late on Election Day (if you need a coffee, Wimpy is offering free brews for voters. Find out more here).

The closing time does not necessarily mean voters still waiting in line will miss out.

According to the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC), voting stations will close at 21:00 on Wednesday, 4 November.

Voters are encouraged to arrive early to avoid the possibility of lengthy queues, particularly towards the end of the day.

Those who have not yet voted should also remember that municipal election voters must cast their ballots at the station where they are registered.

Can you still vote if you’re in the queue at 21:00?

Yes. Being in the queue before the official closing time means you should still get an opportunity to cast your ballot.

The Local Government: Municipal Electoral Act makes provision for this, stating: “Voting at a voting station must continue until every voter has voted who—
(a) is entitled to vote at that voting station; and
(b) has reported for voting at that voting station before the closing time.”

In other words, eligible voters who have reported to their registered voting station before 21:00 must be allowed to vote, even if they have to wait beyond the official closing time.

The IEC’s 2021 Municipal Elections Observer Handbook also instructs presiding officers to bring people waiting to vote inside the voting station’s boundaries before closing.

So, while it’s best not to leave voting until the last minute, arriving before 21:00 should ensure you aren’t turned away simply because of a long queue.

How to check your voter registration details

Before heading to the polls, voters can confirm that their registration details are correct and check where they are registered to vote.

Voters can check their details through any of the following channels:

IEC website: www.elections.org.za
SMS: Send your 13-digit ID number to 32810
WhatsApp: Send “Hi” to the IEC on 060 088 0000

Which ID documents are accepted for voting?

Voters must bring an acceptable identity document to the voting station. The accepted documents are:

A smart ID card
A green barcoded ID book
A valid temporary identity certificate

The IEC has cautioned voters that driver’s licences, passports, student cards and photocopies of identity documents are not accepted for voting purposes.

What happens at the voting station?

Once you arrive at your registered voting station, an election official will verify your identity and registration details.

Your name will be checked against the voters’ roll before your thumbnail is marked with indelible ink to prevent double voting.

You will then receive your ballot papers. The number of ballots you receive depends on whether you are registered in a metropolitan municipality or a local municipality.

How many ballot papers will you receive?

Metropolitan municipalities

These are large urban areas governed by a single metropolitan council. They include cities such as Cape Town, Johannesburg, Tshwane, eThekwini and Nelson Mandela Bay.

Voters registered in a metropolitan municipality will receive two ballot papers:

Ward ballot: Used to elect a ward councillor
Proportional representation (PR) ballot: Used to choose a political party for representation in the metropolitan council

Local municipalities

These are smaller towns and surrounding rural areas. They fall within district municipalities, which provide certain services and coordinate development across several local municipalities.

Voters registered in a local municipality will receive three ballot papers:

Ward ballot: Used to elect a ward councillor
Local council PR ballot: Used to choose a political party for representation on the local municipal council
District PR ballot: Used to choose a political party for representation on the district municipal council

How to cast your vote correctly:

  • Take your ballot papers into the voting booth and vote in private
  • Make one clear X inside the box next to your chosen candidate or political party on each ballot paper
  • Do not write your name, sign the ballot paper or make unnecessary marks, as this could make your ballot invalid
  • If you make a mistake, do not put the ballot paper in the ballot box. Return it to the Presiding Officer and ask for assistance
  • Once you have voted, fold your ballot papers to keep your choices private and place them in the ballot box as directed by election officials