On May 29, more than 27.79 million voters – the highest since the dawn of democracy in South Africa – are eligible to cast their vote in the 2024 National and Provincial Elections (NPE).

Elections Day has also been declared a public holiday by President Cyril Ramaphosa.

Here are three things you need to know:

Three ballots, not two

The most important change is that registered voters will receive three ballot papers and not the usual two. The three ballots are the result of the passing of the Electoral Amendment Act 1 of 2023.

The first ballot is for the election of the compensatory 200 members of the National Assembly, which is only contested by political parties on a closed-list basis.

According to the Electoral Commission of South Africa, known as the IEC, the second ballot is for the regional election of the 200 members of the National Assembly. This ballot will vary from region to region, depending on which parties and independent candidates contest the regional election.

The third ballot, which is the provincial ballot, is for electing members of the provincial legislature in each of the nine provinces.

Voting outside your registered district

Voters must vote at the voting station at which they are registered.

Citizens can only vote outside of their registered district if they have notified the IEC in advance.

Voters who will be away from their voting district on Elections Day must give notice of their intention to vote at another identified voting station by May 17.

You can do this online.

Closing date for special votes: May 3

A special vote allows a registered voter who can’t vote at their voting station on Election Day to apply to vote on a predetermined day before the elections.

To qualify for a special vote, you must be unable to visit your local voting station on Election Day because you are pregnant, infirm or have a disability that prevents you from visiting a voting station.

You may also be eligible for a special vote for other reasons, such as work.

Special votes can either be cast at home (where IEC officials visit you at your residence) or at a voting station.

According to the IEC, special votes and home visits for this year’s NPE will take place on May 27 and 28. The closing date to apply for special votes is May 3.

You can apply for a special vote online. Visit the IEC’s website, navigate to the ‘Voters’ tab, under the tab, click on ‘Apply for a special vote’ in the middle column.