Commission confirms the electoral process will be in full swing ahead of the elections
Sy Mamabolo, chief electoral officer for the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) said that they are ready for the country’s seventh democratic national elections due to take place at the end of this month.
Mamabolo was addressing the media on May 14, 2024, explaining that the country has reached the most crucial stage of the preparation process.
The electoral officer explained that the voting process will start on May 16, with over 76000 registered voters based outside of the country. After completion, “ballots will be transported through a secure channel back to the national office of the commission for counting,” explained Mamabolo.
Meanwhile, over one million special voters will have an opportunity to cast their votes two days before the general elections on May 27 and 28, 2024.
Voters will receive three ballot papers: the national compensatory ballot which will bear the names of the political parties only, the provincial and regional ballots which will have the names of parties as well as independent candidates. Citizens will be able to make their mark on each paper.
Mamabolo emphasised the importance of people voting where they have been registered. Those who wish to change voting districts can do so by notifying the Electoral Commission by no later than Friday, May 17, 2024.
To ensure that every South African can participate in the electoral process, the commission said disabled people will be assisted by the South African Council for the Blind. “We have developed a voting aid which we’ll call the Universal Ballot Template (UBT) to increase chances of confidently exercising the right to vote,” said Mamabolo. He added that the UBT “can be used by blind and partially sighted persons, persons with low visions, persons with an unsteady hand, the elderly and even people with low literacy levels.”
According to Mamabolo, there is a “record of over 160 organisations with 5000 observers domestically and all around the world (who) will be observing South Africa’s 2024 National Elections.” This is to ensure the elections are free and fair.
Counting of votes
The electoral officer explained that the counting of votes will take place at each station in the presence of political parties and independent candidates’ agents as well as observers. He added ballots from the stations will only be transported after a result slip has been concluded.
The commission will also launch the National Results Centre (ROC) on Wednesday, May 22, 2024, which will be based at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand, Johannesburg. Furthermore, Mamabolo said the commission is in the final stages of training 202 500 voting officials, who will oversee the election process at the various voting stations.
Registered voters can check their voting station ahead of election day by either SMSing their ID number to 32810 or by using the voting station finder application on the IEC website
FEATURED IMAGE: Independent Electoral Commission logo: Photo: File
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