IEC announces 610 temporary jobs.
If you’re looking for work, this could be your chance to land a job.
The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) has announced 610 temporary vacancies across Mzansi as it prepares for the 2026 Local Government Elections.
The commission is recruiting people for various election-related positions, including voting officers, presiding officers, queue walkers, logistics staff and administrative personnel.
Who can apply?
Although the jobs are temporary and will run during the election period and training, they offer unemployed South Africans an opportunity to earn an income, gain valuable work experience, and improve their customer service and administrative skills.
To qualify, applicants must be South African citizens who are 18 years or older, have a valid South African ID, be registered to vote, and be able to read and write English and the local language spoken in their voting district.
Applicants must also not have any political party affiliation that could affect their impartiality.
While some positions require a tertiary qualification, others are open to applicants without one, depending on the role and municipality.
Interested candidates can apply online by creating a profile on the IEC Careers Portal and submitting their applications.
The closing date is 31 August 2026.
KwaZulu-Natal has the highest number of vacancies with 117 posts, followed by Gauteng with 94.
The Electoral Commission said: “Due to the high number of applications for election positions, the Electoral Commission only corresponds with shortlisted candidates. If you haven’t heard from us within three months of applying, please consider your application unsuccessful.”
The IEC said preference will be given to unemployed people.
“We always employ 90% non-government officials of our 200 000 voting station staff. We have opened an e-recruitment platform on our website for anyone to apply for a voting station where they are registered to vote, and generally give preference to unemployed youth from the community in question,” the commission said.
As part of the application process, candidates may be asked whether they have a valid driver’s licence, access to a vehicle, whether they live in the municipality where they are applying, and whether they have ever been convicted of a serious criminal offence.
Meanwhile, the IEC is expected to provide an update on Wednesday, 29 July, on its readiness for the final national voter registration weekend, taking place on 1 and 2 August 2026.
The commission said the first registration weekend saw about 2.9 million voter registration transactions processed. It encouraged eligible voters to register or update their details online through its zero-rated Online Voter Registration Portal, allowing people to access the service without using mobile data.
Mzansi’s Local Government Elections are scheduled to take place on 4 November 2026.
