How to apply for special votes

The Electoral Commission encourages South Africans to apply for special votes.

Voters who will not be able to cast their votes on November 1 at their voting station and those who are not able to travel to the voting stations because of physical infirmity or disability can vote by special vote on the two days preceding election day.

Applications for special votes opened on September 20 and will close on October 4 at 17:00.

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Eligible voters, who are unable to travel to the voting station and have successfully applied for a special vote, will be visited at their places of residence or confinement on October 30 or 31.

“Everyone’s vote counts. If you’re a registered voter and you cannot vote at your voting station on election day, you can apply and if approved vote by special vote,” the commission’s CEO, Sy Mamabolo said.

He appealed to those who would be on duty on election day – November 1 – such as police officers, nurses, doctors and members of the media – to apply for special votes.

If approved, this category of voters will cast their ballots at their voting station of registration on October 30 or 31.

To qualify for a special vote, a person must:

– be a registered voter
– apply by the cut-off date and time (October 4 at 17:00).

On the day approved voters must present a green bar-coded identity book, a smart identity card or a valid temporary identity certificate.

How to apply:

Voters may apply online via www.elections.org.za; by SMS: send your ID number to 32249 or in person by taking or sending an application, appendix 25 form, to be hand delivered to the municipal electoral office.

Once the Electoral Commission has received and considered a special vote application, a voter will be notified by SMS about the status of their special vote application.

To check the status of your special vote application, send your ID number by SMS to 32711 or visit www.elections.org.za

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