By Guya Scopas Bethuel
The National Elections Commission (NEC) has released a comprehensive electoral timetable outlining key activities leading up to South Sudan’s general elections, with polling scheduled for February 11, 2027.
According to the schedule released by the Commission, the electoral process will begin with manual voter registration on November 14, 2026, running for 15 days until November 28.
The exercise will be followed by the ratification and public display of the provisional voter register, with the final voter register expected to be published on December 19, 2026.
The nomination process is scheduled to begin on November 29, 2026, with the publication of nomination signature forms. Candidates will submit their nominations between December 14 and 20, while the final list of candidates is expected to be published on January 21, 2027.
The Commission has allocated 45 days for the election campaign, scheduled to commence on December 27, 2026.
The timetable identifies February 10, 2027, as Silent Day, ahead of polling on February 11. Sorting and counting of votes at polling centres will take place over three days, from February 11 to 13.
Results processing at state level, covering the 15 states and administrative areas, is scheduled for February 14 and 15, while processing at the NEC headquarters is expected to take place on February 15.
The Commission has set February 16, 2027, for the declaration and publication of the final election results.
The electoral roadmap further provides for a 14-day election dispute resolution period, running from February 17 to March 3, 2027. Run-off elections, where necessary, are scheduled for February 11 and 12, 2027.
The schedule also indicates that the general elections will maintain 102 National Legislative Assembly constituencies and 290 State Legislative Assembly constituencies.
The elections will be a significant milestone for South Sudan, which has yet to hold its first post-independence general elections since gaining independence in 2011.
However, the published timetable contains apparent date inconsistencies that may require clarification from the Commission. While polling is scheduled for February 11, 2027, the schedule lists June 29, 2026, as the announcement date of the election day. It also lists a campaign period of 45 days running from December 27, 2026, to March 9, 2027.
The NEC is expected to provide further clarity on the implementation of the electoral roadmap as the country prepares for the polls.