Youth lead voter registration surge, says IEC
The Electoral Commission says millions of South Africans participated in the latest voter registration weekend, with young people accounting for four out of every five new registrations.
Chief electoral officer of the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC), Sy Mamabolo, says the commission is encouraged by the strong turnout of young people during the voter registration weekend on June 20 and 21, describing the response as evidence that youth-focused campaigns are gaining traction.
Mamabolo said a total of 2.9 million registration transactions were recorded over the two days, with 477 174 first-time registrations. This represents 16% of all registration activity.
The remaining 2.4 million transactions, or 84%, came from registered voters who checked and updated their details, reflecting continued engagement with the voters’ roll ahead of future elections.
According to the IEC, young people aged 16 to 29 accounted for 785 078 transactions, or 27% of all activity recorded over the weekend. Of these, 59% were completed by young women and 41% by young men.
Mamabolo highlighted that 379 767 of the 477 174 first-time registrations came from the 16 to 29 age group, meaning 80% of new registrations were youth.
“Of the total new registrations, 80% are young people in the age cohort between 16 and 29,” he said, adding that the figures suggest the commission’s youth-focused outreach efforts are resonating.
Female voters continued to dominate overall registration activity, accounting for 1.6 million transactions, or 57%, compared to 1.2 million transactions by male voters, or 43%.
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Among first-time registrants, women accounted for 254 656 registrations (53%), while men accounted for 222 518 (47%).
Mamabolo said the figures challenge perceptions that young people are disengaged from civic processes, noting that participation levels indicate growing awareness of and interest in elections.
“The figures indicate that the youth-focused campaign is finding resonance with young persons and that, far from it, young people are not apathetic,” he said.
The latest registration drive has increased South Africa’s total number of registered voters to 28.5 million.
A second voter registration weekend is scheduled for August 1 and 2.
