SÃO TOMÉ, São Tomé and Príncipe — São Tomé and Príncipe is moving into a decisive period ahead of the September 27, 2026 legislative, regional and local elections, with electoral authorities reporting an expanded voter register.

The provisional electoral roll contains 146,510 registered voters, an increase of 3,836 compared with the register used for the July presidential election. The additional voters include people who had reached voting age but were missing from the previous lists, as well as young people who will turn 18 before the September election.

The elections will determine representatives for the National Assembly, regional government and local authorities, making the September vote an important test for the country's political institutions.

President Carlos Vila Nova formally set September 27 as the date for the legislative, regional and municipal elections earlier this year.

The election preparations follow the July presidential election, in which Vila Nova won a second five-year term according to preliminary results reported by Reuters.

With voting day approaching, attention is increasingly turning toward campaigning, voter participation, electoral administration and the ability of political parties to mobilise supporters across São Tomé, Príncipe and the diaspora.

The growing voter register could also make the September contest particularly important for parties seeking to secure representation in the 55-seat National Assembly.

With less than a month before polling day, São Tomé and Príncipe is entering a crucial electoral period that could shape the country's political landscape for the next parliamentary term.