With the national and provincial election taking place tomorrow, you might have a few questions about the voting process.
The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) has made some important information public to answer your questions.
When can I vote (in case you were wondering why tomorrow is a public holiday)?
The normal national and provincial elections voting day falls on Wednesday, 8 May 2019. This day has been declared a national public holiday to allow everyone to have time to vote.
The voting stations will open at 7am and close at 9pm. You can go to the proper voting station at any time in this period, but please allow some time for unforeseen circumstances, and allow yourself enough time to cast your vote correctly.
Am I registered and where must I vote?
Make sure you are registered to vote. There are two easy ways to check your status. Firstly, visit www.elections.org.za, go to the For Voters drop-down menu and select My Registration Status, then type in your ID number. The second method is to send an SMS with your Identification Document (ID) number to 32810. Please note that these systems are sometimes offline or overwhelmed, or might take some time to respond.
Can I vote anywhere?
According to the IEC, you need to vote at the voting station that you are registered at to vote. But, if you find yourself outside your voting district on the day, you may vote at another station in South Africa (use the Voting Station Finder at https://maps.elections.org.za/vsfinder/). If you are outside of your province, you’ll still be able to vote at any station for the national election, but will not be able to participate in the provincial election. You will be required to complete a form at the voting station.
What can I expect at the voting station?
According to the IEC, you’ll be required to present your valid ID, or a temporary ID certificate from Home Affairs. Driver’s licences and passports will not be accepted.
When going in, make sure that you are on the voter’s roll (a voting officer will assist you), then you can get your ballot papers. Your ID will be stamped before voting. Note: If the Voter’s Roll does not contain your name but you have proof that you are registered, the Presiding Officer must validate your proof of registration, and a form must be completed.
You can now find an empty voting booth and cast your vote by making an ‘X’ beside the name of the party you are voting for. Make sure your mark is within the boundaries of the square, and that you only make one mark. Ensure that you use a pen and not a pencil or other marker that can be removed (a pen will be provided in the voting station). Also make sure that there is no one inside the voting station with you, except in the case of special elections, when it may be necessary to be assisted. Finally, fold the ballot in half, so no one can see your vote, and cast your vote by putting your ballot paper in the correct box.
Am I still registered since the previous election?
The only time when your registration needs to be updated is if your address or ID number changes. Only people who have died are removed from the Voter’s Roll. Check the website or SMS line listed above to make sure you are still registered.
I made a mistake – what now?
If you made a mistake on the ballot paper and realise it before putting it in the ballot box, just ask the Presiding Officer for a new ballot paper and make sure that the incorrect ballot paper is marked as ‘Cancelled’. Once your ballot has been placed in the ballot box, it can’t be removed.
What do I do if I need special help?
Physically disabled or visually impaired voters may choose someone to help them in the voting station. The Presiding Officer may also assist you to cast your vote, but an observer and two agents (if possible) from different parties must be present.
Frail, elderly, disabled and pregnant voters will be given priority in the queue. If a person cannot get out of his/ her vehicle, arrangements can be made for him/ her to vote in the vehicle.
For interest’s sake:
Well over 26 million South Africans (26 736 803 to be precise) are registered to vote. Of these, 14 706 799 are women and 12 030 004 are men. The largest age group is between 30 and 39 years old at over six million, and the smallest is 18 to 19 years old at just over 300 000.
