NELSPRUIT – Voting is not merely a right, it is also a responsibility. While the exact date for the country’s fifth democratic elections on a national and provincial level has not been announced yet, registration for voting is to scheduled for next weekend. The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) will have a voter registration weekend on November 9-10.
According to the IEC, only 1,7 million voters were registered in Mpumalanga by Monday. People older than 80 and younger than 20 are the groups whose members had the fewest registered voters.
Who must register to vote?
Every citizen older than 18 years is eligible to vote if they are registered. This is how citizens in a democracy can participate in the process of electing their government. Voting does not only determine the ruling party in the national and provincial government, but also the representation other smaller parties get in the legislature. For a party to gain a seat there, gives the interest groups that voted for them a voice. The larger the opposition representation is also directly correlates to their capacity to perform oversight of the actions of the majority party. It is thus especially important that anyone who will be at least 18 years old by April next year register now.
Where can I register to vote?
Different voting stations are allocated to divide the number of people voting at each station in the country relatively equally. This is determined by where one lives. To find out where one will have to vote, and therefore also register, use the voting station finder on the online mapping system on the IEC’s website.
How do I find out where I am registered to vote?
Voters who are already registered, can sms their ID number to 32810. Registered voters who have moved provinces since the previous elections, should re-register where they live so they can vote provincially. You need to vote at the station where you are registered. If this is not possible, you may vote at another station in South Africa. If you are outside the province where you are registered, you will only be able to vote in the national election and not the provincial election.
What do I need to register?
One needs an ID book with a barcode or a new ID card. Proof of one’s address, such as a utilities bill, is also required. These should be presented at one’s designated voting station to register.
How do I apply for a special vote?
By law, registered voters can apply for a special vote if they are heavily pregnant or have a physical infirmity or disability, if they will be out of the country on election day or if they are working as an election officer or member of the election’s security services.
Dates for the casting of special votes are predetermined after the election date has been proclaimed. Special votes can only be cast on the specified dates. The application form, which can be downloaded from the IEC’s website, must be delivered by hand to the municipal electoral office.
Enquiries: www.elections.org.za
