Your vote counts
Local government elections 2026
Your ward vote elects a councillor, but it also counts towards each party's share of council
seats, even if that party's candidate loses. So most parties put a name on as many ward
ballots as they can, often the same person in ward after ward. In Johannesburg, one
candidate is on the ballot in all 135 wards. Before you vote, check how many
wards your candidates are standing in. Someone on the ballot in dozens of wards is unlikely to
live in yours, or to campaign there.
More: Bloated ballots and paper candidates. What the candidate lists tell us about party strategies
There are 4,485 wards in South Africa. 50% of the names on ward ballots for the 2026 local government elections belong to someone standing in more than one ward. Search for an address, or click a ward on the map, to see who's standing in your ward, and where else they are standing.
- Province
- Ward