South African voters in several major metros will vote using a new double-column proportional representation (PR) ballot layout in the Local Government Elections (LGE) on 1 November 2026, following confirmation by the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC). The IEC indicates the double-column format applies where more than 48 parties are contesting, reflecting a change in how candidates and party lists are presented on the ballot.
The reporting focuses on what voters need to know ahead of the election. One key practical issue is that voters may see a different ballot design compared with past elections, even though the election remains a PR system. The double-column approach is intended to accommodate a larger number of parties without compressing the ballot information beyond what is usable for voters.
Across outlets, the coverage centres on the IEC’s threshold for using the new layout and the expectation that the ballot layout will vary by municipality depending on the number of contesting parties. The main differences are in how outlets frame the change for readers—whether emphasising the technical condition for using double-column ballots or providing voter-focused guidance on recognising and marking the ballot correctly.
