More voting stations to enable more registrations
KZN has lion’s share of new voting stations
THERE will be 1,711 (or 8%) more voting stations open across the country this weekend, in comparison to the previous municipal elections in 2011.
This is an increase of 307 more than the 2014 national and provincial elections, when there were 22,263 voting stations.
The voting stations serve voting districts covering 4,392 wards in eight metropolitan councils, 205 local municipalities, and 44 district municipalities.
The increase in voting stations reflects not only the increase in wards following the municipal demarcation process but is also part of ongoing efforts by the Electoral Commission to enhance accessibility to voters.
The increase in voting stations since 2011 has favoured rural provinces with 26.6% of new voting stations in KZN, 20% in Limpopo, 12.75% in Gauteng, 12.5% in the Free State, 9% in North West, 8.6% in Mpumalanga, 6.5% in Eastern Cape, 3% in Northern Cape and 0.7% increase in the Western Cape.
Registration stations are located at a wide variety of premises, which are leased by the Electoral Commission for registration weekends and voting days. These include schools (65%), community and civic halls (10%), places of worship (8%) and other community venues. About 5% will use temporary facilities including tents and other temporary structures in the absence of fixed structures.
Most stations will be staffed by two officials to assist voters to register quickly and easily bringing to 51,849 the number of officials deployed for the weekend. This is a 12% increase from the previous registration weekend held ahead of the 2014 national and provincial elections in November 2013.
Voting station staff are identifiable by their white T-shirts bearing the IEC logo on the front and 2016 Municipal Elections logo and “Register to Vote” on the back.
