Are these the final 2026 local election results?

Not yet. These are running totals as the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) publishes them, and they change as more voting stations are counted. Only the Commission's declaration is final.

How do I see the results for my ward?

Use Find my ward on Mandate SA, with your location or by searching your municipality and ward number. Your ward's page shows every candidate and each voting station as it is counted.

Where do these results come from?

From the results the Electoral Commission of South Africa publishes. Mandate SA adds them up and shows them free of charge. Vote totals add the ward and party ballots together, as the Commission's dashboard does.

Does the party with the most votes run the municipality?

Not always. A party needs more than half of a council's seats to govern alone. If no party has that, the council is hung, and parties may form a coalition or a minority government.

Why do early results look different from the final picture?

Stations are counted at different speeds, so early totals lean towards the places counted first. Check how many stations are in before reading much into a figure.

Free State election results 2026

African National Congress has the most votes counted so far, and no party has more than half.

1 009 of 1 604 voting stations counted, as at 05 Nov, 16:47. Provisional running totals from the Electoral Commission: these will change. Independent and neutral.

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Parties so far

African National Congress39,6%323 702 votes · ahead in 18 municipalities
Democratic Alliance25,6%209 076 votes · ahead in 1 municipality
Economic Freedom Fighters8,4%68 977 votes
Freedom Front Plus5,9%47 807 votes
African Content Movement2,9%23 636 votes
South African Communist Party2,5%20 102 votes
African Congress for Transformation1,6%13 306 votes
Patriotic Alliance1,3%10 759 votes
ActionSA1,3%10 754 votes
African Transformation Movement1,0%8 001 votes
Nala Progressive Movement0,9%7 193 votes
uMkhonto weSizwe Party0,9%6 971 votes

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Results by municipality in Free State

DihlabengANC 47,9%
KopanongANC 59,0%
LetsemengANC 60,8%
MafubeANC 39,6%
Maluti a PhofungANC 30,2%
MangaungANC 34,2%
MantsopaANC 53,3%
MasilonyanaANC 37,5%
MatjhabengANC 39,9%
MetsimaholoANC 30,1%
MohokareANC 47,0%
MoqhakaDA 34,7%
NalaANC 34,7%
NgwatheANC 37,3%
NketoanaANC 48,4%
PhumelelaANC 45,4%
SetsotoANC 41,9%
TokologoANC 51,2%
TswelopeleANC 54,1%

About these results

Are these the final 2026 local election results?: Not yet. These are running totals as the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) publishes them, and they change as more voting stations are counted. Only the Commission's declaration is final.
How do I see the results for my ward?: Use Find my ward on Mandate SA, with your location or by searching your municipality and ward number. Your ward's page shows every candidate and each voting station as it is counted.
Where do these results come from?: From the results the Electoral Commission of South Africa publishes. Mandate SA adds them up and shows them free of charge. Vote totals add the ward and party ballots together, as the Commission's dashboard does.
Does the party with the most votes run the municipality?: Not always. A party needs more than half of a council's seats to govern alone. If no party has that, the council is hung, and parties may form a coalition or a minority government.
Why do early results look different from the final picture?: Stations are counted at different speeds, so early totals lean towards the places counted first. Check how many stations are in before reading much into a figure.