The Independent Electoral Commission has urged voters to make use of the remaining time before Friday to notify the electoral body if they will not cast their vote at the voting stations where they are registered.
The Independent Electoral Commission has urged voters to make use of the remaining time before Friday to notify the electoral body if they will not cast their vote at the voting stations where they are registered.
“Voters have until this Friday, May 17, to submit a notification in terms of Section 24A the Electoral Act to vote at a different voting station,” said Western Cape provincial electoral officer Michael Hendrickse.
Hendrickse said in the past, during national and provincial elections and municipal elections, voters could arrive on the election day to a different voting station to vote.
“Now, you need to notify the IEC in advance of your intention to do so for the upcoming national and provincial elections.
“Such voters will be turned away if they have not notified the IEC by Friday’s deadline,” he said.
The new regulation will affect those voters who may have changed provinces, those who will be on the road on May 29, and those who moved within a particular province.
Hendrickse said the criteria for a successful Section 24A notification included being a registered voter of 18 years or older and having submitted your notification no later than 17 May.
“It must also have been filled out correctly, which includes identifying the voting station where you want to vote.
“The list of addresses of voting stations and voting district numbers can be accessed at: https://maps.elections.org.za/vsfinder/”
He explained that those intending to cast a vote at a voting station where they are not registered but a different voting station still within the province, will receive all three ballot - national, regional and provincial.
“If you intend casting your vote at a voting station outside the province where you are registered, you will only receive the National ballot.
“You will need to ensure that the notification is correctly and completely filled in, as failure to do so will render your notification invalid.
“Thus, you must indicate the name and address of the voting station where you want to vote – you cannot simply refer to a suburb or town.”
The affected voters can notify the IEC by visiting www.elections.org.za and using the online Section 24A notifications portal.
They can also visit the local IEC office in person during office hours and complete and submit the notification form.
Cape Times
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