Special vote applications increased by 131% from 2021 LGE: IEC

The number of voters applying for special votes for the 2026 Local Government Election has surged by around 131 percent compared to the 2021 LGE. The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) disclosed these figures during a briefing on the special votes application process, which was open from September 21st to October 12th. The IEC revealed that it had approved 678,000 home visit applications, marking a 33 percent increase from the 507,000 applications received in 2021.

Voter station-based applications, for those unable to vote at their registered polling station on November 4th, also saw a significant rise, with 1.1 million applications approved, up 227 percent from the 602,000 in 2021. IEC Chief Electoral Officer Sy Mamabolo commented on the gender and age distribution of these applications. "Women account for a larger share of applications in both categories, comprising 74 percent of home visit applications and 64 percent of voting station visit applications," he noted.

Age data for home visits show that voters aged 60 and older make up nearly 80 percent of all home visit applications, with the 70 to 79 age group being the largest segment. This indicates that home visits are predominantly utilized by older voters, particularly older women, while voting station applications show a younger and more diverse demographic profile.