IEC launches online registration for voters

The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) is currently assessing the situation in KZN and Gauteng to determine whether the planned voter registration weekend from 31 July to 1 August can go ahead.

The IEC has already rescheduled the planned voter registration weekend due to the third wave of the pandemic.

IEC national spokesperson Kate Bapela said despite the current climate, it would be premature to announce the cancellation of voter registrations.

‘Once we have concluded our assessment we will make an announcement to inform South Africans,’ she said.

Last Wednesday, in an effort to improve accessibility for voters, the IEC launched its online voter registration system.

This allows new voters to register and enables existing voters to update information on the voters’ roll.

‘This system has been in development for a number of years,’ said Bapela.

‘The first phase introduced the online service ‘Click, Check, Confirm’ ahead of the 2019 National and Provincial Elections, which has been used by more than 350 000 voters.’

She explained that the second phase is online registration which allows all eligible voters to register or update their details via computer, smartphone or tablet.

The system incorporates a number of security checks, including One-Time-Pin (OTP) verification, and the submission of a scanned ID.

‘Online registration is a crucial part of the IEC’s plans to boost voter registration despite Covid-19 ahead of the Local Government Elections scheduled for 27 October this year,’ said Bapela.

This complements other registration options including voter registration at local IEC offices, outreach initiatives at schools, tertiary education institutions, and general voter registration weekends.

Bapela clarified that the online registration is not a replacement of the usual registration process: ‘If there is a need to postpone our planned weekend voter’s registration, we will inform South Africans on time, but will definitely arrange another weekend for voter’s registration.

All 23 151 voting stations are expected to open between 8am and 5pm over that weekend.’

Eligible voters can register in a few easy steps:

1. Go to https://registertovote.elections.org.za
2. Click ‘Register to Vote Now’
3. Enter your personal details
4. Enter the One-Time Pin sent to your cellphone
5. Search for your address, or if you are at home, use the current location on your device
6. Take a photo of your ID OR submit a scan of your ID
7. You will receive an SMS within 24 hours confirming your successful registration