The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) is running a mass short-term recruitment drive ahead of the 2026 Local Government Elections.
The IEC jobs portal is currently advertising 380 vacancies across all nine provinces.
Below is the breakdown of each of the three main roles:
JOB TITLE: ELECTORAL OFFICER × 240
Key responsibilities include:
- Coordinating and facilitating voting-station preparations and operations.
- Assisting in the implementation of voter-registration and election-day activities.
- Supporting administrative tasks, logistical coordination and voter management at the local voting-district level.
- Maintaining political neutrality, accuracy and compliance with South African electoral laws.
Applicants must be South African citizens, registered voters, and free of political office-holding or active partisan affiliation. Positions range from semi-skilled to skilled level, with specific academic requirements attached to each individual job code on the portal.
In provinces: Gauteng (47), Eastern Cape (41), Western Cape (38), Northern Cape (27), Limpopo (26), Free State (22), Mpumalanga (21), North West (18).
Pay ranges from: R1,320 – R3,000 (inclusive package for the duration of the event, subject to role, statutory deductions and days engaged).
For more info and to apply: https://www.elections.org.za/pw/About-Us/BrowseJobs
JOB TITLE: PRESIDING OFFICER × 130
Main responsibilities (from the IEC’s own PO/DPO circular):
- Supervise all activities connected with the voting station on voting day and during counting.
- Oversee the balloting and counting of votes.
- Assist with inspection of the voters’ roll, address harvesting and voter registration.
- Operate a scanner and complete registration forms accurately.
- Submit reports to the local IEC office and safeguard IEC material.
- Take responsibility for all administrative activities at the station, including scanning staff attendance and ensuring their documentation is correct.
- Manage the station professionally on behalf of the IEC.
Minimum requirements: South African citizen and registered voter; Matric/N3 or equivalent; at least eight years of professional, supervisory or administrative work experience (or prior PO/DPO experience); valid driver’s licence and access to a vehicle; a mobile phone; no political-office holding, candidacy or party campaigning in the past five years; no serious criminal convictions; registered taxpayer with a bank account; proficient in one of the local languages of the municipality; computer literacy strongly recommended.
In provinces: Gauteng (39), Western Cape (30), Northern Cape (25), Eastern Cape (18), North West (18).
Pay ranges from: R3,580 – R4,500 (inclusive package for the duration of the event, subject to role, statutory deductions and days engaged).
For more info and to apply: https://www.elections.org.za/pw/About-Us/BrowseJobs
JOB TITLE: DEPUTY PRESIDING OFFICER × 130
Minimum requirements mirror those of the Presiding Officer: South African citizen and registered voter; Matric/N3 or equivalent; at least eight years of professional/administrative experience or prior PO/DPO service; valid driver’s license and access to a vehicle; no political affiliation in the past five years; no serious criminal record.
In provinces: Gauteng (39), Western Cape (30), Northern Cape (25), Eastern Cape (18), North West (18).
Pay ranges from: R3,580 – R4,500 (shared inclusive package with the PO, for the duration of the event, subject to role, statutory deductions and days engaged).
For more info and to apply: https://www.elections.org.za/pw/About-Us/BrowseJobs
How to apply
Applications must be submitted online only through the IEC’s e-Recruitment portal.
Applicants first register a profile, then apply against each specific job code.
The closing date is 31 August 2026.
Official IEC portal: https://www.elections.org.za/pw/About-Us/BrowseJobs
