The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) has opened applications for Special Votes for the upcoming Local Government Elections. The application period closes on October 12 for qualifying voters.

“Special votes are meant to ensure access to the vote by persons who would otherwise not be able to participate in elections on November 4,” the IEC said in a statement.

The two categories of eligible voters are:

The first are home visit special votes for persons who are unable to present physically at a voting station owing to physical condition. This category of voters, if approved, is visited at a place of confinement which must be in a voting district in which the voter is registered.

The second category of special votes relates to voters who can present physically at their voting station but cannot vote at their voting station on voting day. This category of voters will, if approved, vote at their voting station on the two days preceding election day.

“The Electoral Commission advises voters who may be away from their voting districts on November 4, including those working in essential services and the media, that they qualify to apply for a special vote,” the IEC said.

Applications can be made via the website at www.elections.org.za or by SMSing your identity number to 32249 (R1.00 per SMS; for special vote at a voting station only).

Applications can also be submitted by visiting a local IEC office (not the national or provincial offices) and submitting a Special Vote Application form.

These forms can only be hand-delivered; no emails or faxes are accepted, but someone else can deliver the completed form on your behalf.

“It is important to remind eligible voters that they may cast their special vote at the voting station where they are registered. In cases where a home visit has been approved, the special vote will be conducted at the voter’s registered address within the voting district,” the IEC said.