What to expect at the voting station

Remember, you can only vote at the station where you are registered.

August 1, 2016

Kyle Cowan 1 minute read

FOR some, it won’t be the first time they will be stepping into a voting booth.

For those who will be making their mark for the first time in Wednesday’s local government elections, we have rounded up the most important information on how the process will flow in a step-by-step guide.

When you arrive at your voting station, election officials will look at your ID and check your name on the voter’s roll.

The same officials will then place an ink mark on your left thumb – it’s a special ink that won’t wash off for a few days to show everyone you participated.

Remember, you can only vote at the station where you are registered.

Zululanders will be registered under a local municipality, which means they will receive three ballot papers – it is important you check if your ballot papers are stamped on the back.

Placing your ‘X’ next to the ward councillor and political party of your choice is next. If you make a mistake, call an IEC official who will give you a new ballot paper, and remove the spoiled one.

After that, fold your paper in half and drop it into the relevant ballot boxes.

In this election, if your address does not appear on the voters roll when you arrive to vote, the IEC will ask you to fill in a form just before you head out. This is to capture each and every voter’s address.

To wrap it all up, take a selfie with your inked thumb or outside the voting station and share it via social media using the hashtags #ivoted, #2016MunicipalElections – but remember, do not take a photo of your ballot paper as it is illegal to do so.