The Electoral Commission recently launched an online voter registration facility allowing new voters to register and existing voters to update or amend their registration from the ease and convenience of their homes or elsewhere.
The online facility is part of the Electoral Commission’s on-going commitment to provide greater accessibility and convenience to voters.
According to their statement, it follows the implementation of a range of other digital service channels over the past five years, including online candidate nominations, online special vote applications and online party funding declarations.
The facility has been in development for a number of years.
Their first phase was the introduction of ‘Click, Check, Confirm’ ahead of the 2019 National and Provincial Elections, through which existing voters were able to check and amend their registration. More than 350 000 voters have used this system since its introduction.
The second phase allows all eligible voters – whether registered or not – to register and update their details via a computer, smart mobile device or tablet.
The system will use a number of security checks to ensure the integrity of the voters’ roll.
These include the use of a One-Time-Pin (OTP) verification and the submission of a scan or photograph of the voter’s ID document.
The online registration complements other existing registration options, including ongoing voter registration at all local IEC offices and various outreach initiatives including at schools, tertiary education institutions and the general voter registration weekends ahead of elections.
“The online facility will be a game-changer in promoting voter registration, especially among young and first-time voters,” the statement read.
According tom the IEC, research and engagements over the years with young eligible voters have frequently identified the lack of online voter registration as a key obstacle.
It is a crucial part of their plans to boost voter registration despite Covid-19 ahead of the Local Government Elections scheduled for 27 October.
A voter registration weekend is planned for 31 July to 1 August due to the third wave of the pandemic.
All 23 151 voting stations are expected to open between 8:00 and 17:00.
The commission hopes that providing a facility will serve to minimise congestion and maximum registration.
Eligible voters can register as follows: a) Go to https://registertovote.elections.org.za; b) Click ‘Register to Vote Now’; c) Enter your personal details; d) Enter the One-Time Pin sent to your cellphone; e) Search for your address, or if you are at home, use the current location on your device; f) Take a photo of your ID or submit a scan of your ID ; g)You will receive an SMS within 24 hours confirming your successful registration.
Users who created profiles on the ‘Click, Check, Confirm’ platform can use the same login details to access the system.
All South African citizens aged 16 years and older in possession of an SA ID (smartcard ID or green barcoded ID book) are permitted to register as voters.
Only registered voters aged 18 or older on election day may vote.
You must register in a voting district in a ward in which you ordinarily reside and voters are reminded that it is an offence to provide false information or to knowingly register in the ward.
In local government elections voters may only vote in the voting district in which they are registered.
There is no latitude to vote at any other voting station due to the geographic element of local government election where wards are a basis of the electoral contest.
Agents at the IEC Contact Centre are also able to help voters with the online facility.
The centre is open weekdays from 8:00 to 17:00 on 0800 11 8000 in all languages.
Justice Dikgang Moseneke has in the past week recommended that local government elections be postponed.
