IEC bans campaigning inside voting stations on Election Day

The Electoral Commission (IEC) said on Wednesday that campaigning is banned only inside the boundaries of voting stations, while meetings, marches and demonstrations are barred outside them.

The commission issued the clarification as voting in the 2026 local government elections got under way. Stations opened at 07:00 and close at 21:00 SAST, according to the SAnews report of its statement.

What is banned

Three acts are banned inside a station boundary: showing or distributing party billboards, posters, placards or pamphlets, urging a person to vote or abstain for a given party, and urging anyone to stay away from the vote.

“The only permissible political activity within the boundaries of voting stations is the casting of ballots,” the commission said.

What is allowed

The law does not impose a “wholesale prohibition” of political activity on voting day. Activity outside the boundary may continue, the commission said, provided it is not a barred form. Outside the boundary, political meetings, marches, demonstrations and other political events are prohibited.

“In general, the law does not enforce campaign silence on election day,” the commission said. It described the aim as letting voters cast their ballots freely while allowing “low key campaigning to continue without organized public events”.

Breaking the provision is a serious offence, the commission said, punishable by a fine or up to five years in prison. It asked parties, candidates, supporters and voters to respect the rules.

Checking your station

It urged voters to arrive early and to confirm their registration before leaving home. It listed four ways to do so: a WhatsApp message with the ID number to 0600 88 0000; an SMS with the ID number to 32810, at R1 per message; a call to the contact centre; or the website www.elections.org.za. A reply gives the registered station and the voter’s roll sequence number.

Voters inside a station boundary at 21:00 will be assisted beyond closing time, the commission said. The government made a separate appeal in a separate statement, in which Deputy Government spokesperson William Baloyi urged people to vote early because showers were forecast in some areas. Baloyi said: “Make your mark, every vote matters in shaping the future of our communities and strengthening local democracy.” He said government encourages every eligible citizen to cast a ballot at their designated station, and stations stay open for 14 hours, from 07:00 to 21:00.

Our report on the commission’s legal action over incidents during special voting covers the earlier warnings about prohibited conduct. Stations close at 21:00 on Wednesday.