Political parties urged to submit nominations early for 2026 elections

The Electoral Commission of South Africa has issued a warning to political parties and independent candidates regarding the upcoming 2026 Local Government Elections. According to the Commission, no late submissions or changes will be accepted once the nominations close on August 28 at 5pm. The deadline is set in stone and cannot be altered or negotiated.

After 5pm on that Friday, the IEC will not allow any modifications to the candidate lists. The Commission has emphasized that the election timetable is fixed and must be adhered to. It has also stated that its Online Candidate Nomination System will not accept any submissions after the cut-off time. The deadline is particularly crucial as the IEC progresses through the election timetable leading up to the November 4 local government elections.

So far, 111 political parties and 119 independent candidates have utilized the Online Candidate Nomination System. The Commission expects the final list of successful candidates to be published on September 16, followed by the issuance of certificates of candidacy on September 25. To avoid delays in the post-nomination phase, the Commission strongly advises all political parties and candidates to complete and submit their candidate nomination details well before the deadline.