ELECTION NEWS - The IEC reminds all eligible South Africans that it’s imperative to check which voting stations they are registered at for the National and Provincial Elections (NPE2024) on 29 May.
Knowing where you are registered will ensure that you know where you need to vote, as in some cases the voting station may have changed due to the unavailability of the previous venue.
Knowing your voting station will also assist if you have to apply for a Special Vote to vote on 27 or 28 May.
It will also be important if you want to vote on 29 May (Election Day) at a voting station different from the one where you are registered vote as provided by Section 24A of the Electoral Act.
To find out your voting station:
- SMS your ID number to 32810; or
- Check online at www.elections.org.za; or
- WhatsApp “Hi” to 0600880000 and choose “Am I registered “
- Visit your local IEC office during office hours; or
- Call the IEC contact centre on 0800118000
Voting station special vote:
Applications are open from 15 April to 3 May
- Voting Station Special Voting is open to any voter, who for whatever reason, cannot vote at their voting station on Election Day (29 May). This application is not limited to type of work or age. It is also available if you simply want to avoid possible queues on Election Day.
- Allows the voter to vote at their voting station where registered on 27 and 28 May between 09:00 to 17:00.
- A voter can apply for special vote by 3 May either
• Online at www.elections.org.za;
• SMS your ID number to 32249 (R1.00 per SMS). This applies to special voting at a voting station only;
- Visit your local IEC office during office hours or have the completed application form delivered there.
- The voter will receive an SMS informing them whether the Special Vote application has been approved or not.
Home visit special vote:
If a voter cannot travel to their voting station because of infirmity, disability or pregnancy, they can apply to vote at their place of residence (Home Visit). These are the only reasons allowed in law for a Home Visit Special Vote.
IEC officers will come to their home anytime between 09:00 and 17:00 on 27 or 28 May given that the voter is essentially confined to that address.
A voter can apply for Home Visit Special Vote by 3 May either
- Online at www.elections.org.za; or
- Have the completed application form delivered to the local IEC office
- The voter will receive an SMS informing them whether the Special Vote application has been approved or not
It is a criminal offence to make a false statement about your inability to go to your voting station, or to apply for a Home Visit Special voter application without consent of the voter.
Section 24A: Notifications are open 15 March to 17 May
This is Prior Notification to vote on 29 May (Election Day) at a different voting station.
In the past National and Provincial Elections, a voter could simply arrive at a different voting station and vote there. The law has changed. Now, a voter must notify the IEC in advance of their intention to vote at a different voting station.
Voters will unfortunately be turned away if they have not notified the IEC by the cut-off which is today, 22 April.
When applying for Section 24a, it is important to note:
If you intend casting a vote at a voting station where you are not registered and that different voting station is still within the same town/city or within the province - you will receive all three ballots (National, Regional and Provincial)
If the voter intends to vote at a voting station which is outside the province where registered, the voter may only receive the National ballot.
The voter must indicate the name and address of the different voting station where they want to vote – you cannot simply refer to a suburb or town. The list of addresses of voting stations and voting district numbers can be accessed at : https://maps.elections.org.za/vsfinder/
The voter will need to ensure that the notification is correctly and completely filled in, as failure to do so will render the notification invalid.
The Presiding Officer of the different voting station where you intend to vote, will have a list of all the voters who have successfully notified the IEC that they are voting there.
Notifications can be submitted to the IEC by no later than 22 April by:
Visiting www.elections.org.za and using the online Section 24A Notifications portal;
Visiting your local IEC office in person, weekdays during business hours, and complete and submit the notification form.
NB : The Section 24A Notification is only required if the voter wants to vote at a voting station where they are not registered.
For information on the National and Provincial Elections, visit the official website. You can also reach our call centre during office hours at 0800 11 8000.
‘We bring you the latest Garden Route, Hessequa, Karoo news’
