The Electoral Commission (IEC) says at least 780,000 votes were cast on the first day of special voting in the 2026 local government elections.
The commission has also confirmed that voting stations which experienced delays in parts of Cape Town eventually opened and remained operational throughout the day.
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The delays were caused by the late distribution of ballot papers.
Briefing the media in Midrand, north of Johannesburg, IEC CEO Sy Mamabolo says the affected stations were granted extra voting time and closed at 6pm.
“The first day of special voting concluded at 5pm on Monday and the commission is satisfied that the day’s proceedings create a solid basis for improved performance on day two of special votes and on election day. In fact, our very conservative estimate of the participation rate today is that 780,000 special votes have been administered.”
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