South Sudan’s long-awaited general elections have been postponed to February 11, 2027, after the National Elections Commission (NEC) announced a revised electoral timetable on Saturday.
This marks yet another shift in the country’s protracted transition to democratic governance.
The new date replaces the previously scheduled polls on December 22, 2026, and affects key electoral preparations, including voter registration, candidate nominations, campaign activities and other processes leading up to the elections.
According to the revised timetable released Saturday and seen by Anadolu, voter registration will take place on November 14-28 across the country, followed by the publication of the provisional voter register on November 29.
“The nomination process will begin on November 29 with the publication of nomination signature forms. Candidates will submit their nominations from December 14 to 20, with the list of nominated candidates published on December 21,” it stated.
It also noted that objections to nominations, corrections and appeals will be accepted until January 17, with the final list of candidates scheduled for publication on January 18-21.
The commission indicated that voters will have seven days, from November 30 to December 6, to raise objections to the provisional register.
Returning officers will review the objections and make corrections on December 7-13. Further appeals and court proceedings are scheduled through January 1, 2027.
The amended register will be submitted on January 2-8, while the final voter register is set to be published on January 9.
The commission plans to declare the final results on February 15 and publish them on February 16.
The electoral calendar also allocates 148 days, from February 17 to July 15, for resolving election disputes.
The updated timetable does not specify the reasons for the postponement of the polling date.
Voter resignation process
The decision to delay the polls by approximately two months comes amid ongoing preparations for a nationwide voter registration process, scheduled for November 14-28.
On Friday, South Sudan National Elections Commission Chairman Gabriel Bol Deng told journalists at a press conference that registration would take place at 3,161 polling centres across the country’s 10 states and three administrative areas.
Deng also said 22,127 personnel had been recruited and trained to facilitate voter registration, confirming that electoral materials and equipment had already arrived in the capitals of the states and administrative areas.
However, the materials have yet to be distributed to individual polling centres. Deng said a comprehensive logistical plan was in place to ensure their delivery over the next two days.
He urged all eligible citizens to visit registration centres and explained that applicants must present a national ID card, passport or any other official document verifying their identity and age.
Citizens without official documentation can register through special identification forms completed with the assistance of traditional leaders.
