Youth urged to vote in 4 November LGE

The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) and the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) hosted a mock voting station at the SABC on Friday to demonstrate the voting process ahead of the 4 November 2026 Local Government Elections.

The demonstration took participants through the voting process, from joining the queue to casting their ballots.

Depending on where they live, voters will receive different ballot papers.

These include: • Ward ballot: Voters choose a candidate to represent their ward. • Proportional Representation (PR) ballot: Voters choose a political party, with council seats allocated according to each party’s share of the vote. • District council ballot: Voters choose a political party to represent them on the district council.

Voters in metropolitan municipalities receive two ballot papers: a ward ballot and a PR ballot.

Voters in local municipalities outside metropolitan areas receive three, including a district council ballot.

IEC regional outreach officer Diana Mola said the commission runs educational programmes to encourage young people to participate in elections, from primary school through to tertiary education.

“When we go to high schools, secondary schools, that’s where we get the people who are qualified to register.

In our laws, to register, you need to be 16 years,” she said.

Mola encouraged young people to consider standing for leadership positions, saying they could participate in elections as candidates as well as voters.

“You don’t only engage with the voting by becoming a voter.

You can even become a candidate, as long as you are a South African citizen and you are a registered voter,” she said.

According to the IEC, 42.1% of people aged between 18 and 35 are registered to vote, while about 22.65% of candidates contesting the elections fall within the same age group.

Meanwhile, SABC specialist researcher Velemseni Mthiyane encouraged young people to exercise their democratic right and participate in the elections.