Special votes: Take note of the following

Registered voters who have applied to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) for special votes either through home visits or at polling stations, will vote on Monday 27 May and Tuesday 28 May:

Important to remember is the following:

Polling stations: ·   

• Polling stations for special votes are open on Monday 27 May and Tuesday 28 May from 09:00-17:00.·
• Only voters registered for special votes may vote on these two days.·     You will only be allowed to vote at the polling station where you are registered.·
•  Don’t wait until the last minute to vote. Go as early as possible on Monday or Tuesday. This prevents you from having to stand in long queues just before polling stations close, and makes the task of everyone involved in the voting process so much easier. (If you look at the number of home visit points and special votes registered for polling stations, you will understand that the earlier you go, the better)·
• What do you take with you? ·
• You must take your ID book or ID card with you to the polling station. Remember that no passport, driver’s license or a copy of your ID will be accepted.·
• You may use your own pen at the polling station.·
• Good advice is to take sanitiser with you because many people will be moving through the polling stations. 
• Home visits ·
• For registered home visits, election officials will visit these voters at their homes so that they can vote. Voters registered for home visits are voters who are unable to visit a polling station.·
• Political parties may accompany IEC officials while doing home visits, but you may ask that only IEC officials are allowed in your home.·
• Make sure you are home on the days that election officials will do home visits for special votes, because if you are not home, they will not be able to come back to give you an opportunity to vote.·
• You may only vote at the address given to the IEC. This means that even if you were to stop by the neighbours, IEC officials cannot allow you to vote at the neighbours’ address.
• If you were not at home, you will have to vote with other voters at the polling stations on 29 May. 
• IEC officials must tear out and stamp the ballot papers in front of you.
• When you have voted, ballots will be placed in sealed envelopes.
• Read carefully 
• Read the ballot paper carefully. Because there are so many parties registered for this year’s national and provincial elections it may be confusing, and the party badges are very small on the ballot papers. That’s why you have to look very carefully.
• Elderly people or people with poor eyesight who struggle to see clearly on the ballot paper, can ask an election official to help them read
• Should you have made a mistake on your ballot, you may ask for another ballot.
• Make sure you make your mark neatly in the box with the relevant party/candidate for whom you would vote. Ballots with crosses drawn over more than one box are considered spoiled ballots meaning they cannot be counted.
• What to expect ·
•  You will receive three ballots. Two of these ballots are for the National Assembly (NA) and the third ballot for provincial legislatures.·
•  One of the two national ballots is a nationwide ballot that will be the same across the country and will list the names of the parties participating in this year’s election, while the other is a region-specific ballot that will also list the names of independent candidates. contained if there would be such candidates.
• The electoral law was amended to allow for this year’s election for the first time also for independent candidates who do not stand for a political party, and compete for individual seats in the NA.
• Safety during the election period
• Law enforcement officers will constantly keep an eye on polling stations and you can therefore expect a strong police presence for the duration of the election.
•  Remember to lock your car when you go to the polling station and not to leave valuables in your car. Also make sure your home is locked and alarm activated when you go to the polling station.
• Leave your valuables at home when going to the polling station. In this way, it is safer and reduces the risk that you may forget something in the polling station.