Polls close across South Africa. Here’s when counting can begin
MIDRAND — South Africa’s municipal polls closed to new arrivals at 9pm on Wednesday, 4 November, as election officials prepared to count ballots across the country. Anyone already in the queue at their registered voting station by the deadline could still cast a ballot. At stations where people were waiting, presiding officers had to allow the last eligible voter to finish before counting could begin.
TownPress readers can follow the results as they come in through the live election dashboard on every page of our website. Two dedicated pages are also available throughout the count: Live Election Results and Election Results Breakdown.
In his evening briefing, Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) chief electoral officer Sy Mamabolo said preliminary figures showed that 12 million people had voted by 5pm. That figure covered participation up to four hours before the queues closed. Final turnout will also account for those who arrived later, including voters who qualified to cast their ballots after 9pm.
How the first results reach the dashboard
Counting normally takes place at each voting station. Officials check ballot papers for the IEC security stamp, separate ward ballots from party ballots and reconcile the totals. Party agents and accredited observers can witness the count. Once the result slip is signed, a copy is posted at the station and the figures are submitted for verification.
For readers following a close race, the first return shows how one voting station voted. A ward lead can change as other stations report, and control of a council depends on the eventual allocation of seats. The IEC’s timetable allows seven days for final metro and local council results and 14 days for district council results.
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