JOHANNESBURG - Some South Africans may find themselves voting at a different station or in a different ward during the 2026 Local Government Elections, even if they have not moved.
The Electoral Commission (IEC) has encouraged voters who have changed addresses to update their registration details to ensure they vote in the correct ward.
However, even those who still live at the same address may notice changes to their voting ward or station.
According to the Municipal Demarcation Board (MDB), this is due to changes in ward boundaries ahead of the 2026 Local Government Elections.
Established in 1999 in terms of the Municipal Demarcation Act 27 of 1998 and the Municipal Structures Act 117 of 1998, the MDB is responsible for determining and re-determining municipal boundaries every five years before local government elections.
The board also conducts Municipal Capacity Assessments to determine whether municipalities have the capacity to fulfil their constitutional obligations.
It then advises the relevant MECs on the allocation of powers and functions between local and district municipalities.
MDB Chairperson Thabo Manyoni says a total of 4,488 wards have been finalised nationally ahead of the 2026 elections.
"An increase in the number of voters has resulted in a configuration change of the wards," he said.
"These changes can also be attributed to the population dynamics in different areas, especially inward and outward migration of registered voters from one area to another," he explained.
Manyoni said the MDB consulted municipalities and communities between 2024 and 2025 before finalising the ward boundaries.
Once finalised, the new ward boundaries were published in the provincial gazettes, as required by law.
Residents who objected to the proposed changes were given 14 days to submit written representations.
In redrawing ward boundaries, the MDB aims to keep communities together as far as possible.
There has been a slight increase in the number of wards ahead of the 2026 Local Government Elections.
In 2021, the board delimited 4,468 wards.
KwaZulu-Natal has the highest number of newly delimited wards.
Manyoni has urged residents to familiarise themselves with the new ward boundaries before the elections.
"This is to better understand how the boundary changes may affect their representation and voting stations ahead of the elections," he said.
"The change in wards does not mean services will be interrupted; municipalities must continue with their responsibilities to provide services."
Voters who are unsure whether their ward or voting station has changed are encouraged to check their details on the Municipal Demarcation Board’s website before election day.