The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) has received over 740 000 applications for special votes in the 2016 municipal elections – more than three times the number received in 2011.
Of the 741 720 applications received, 719 225 were approved.
This includes 315 597 (44%) applications for home visits and 403 628 (56%) applications to cast a special vote at the voting station.
Special votes will be cast on August 1 and 2.
A special vote allows a registered voter who can’t vote at their voting station on Election Day to apply to vote on a predetermined day before Election Day.
Election officials will visit the addresses provided by voters who applied for home visits at some point over these two days.
They will only visit the address once.
If the voter is not present, they will not be able to cast a special vote.
These voters ought to be home as home visits are reserved for those largely unable to travel.
Those who applied to cast a special vote at their voting station must do so between 8am and 5pm on Monday or Tuesday.
These times are different from the voting hours of 7am to 7pm on Election Day (August 3).
A voter whose application for a special vote was approved, but, for whatever reason was unable to cast a special vote, may still cast their ballot at their voting station on Election Day.
The IEC notes that the increase in applications for special votes is an encouraging sign of significant voter interest in the 2016 municipal elections, but is also a reflection of the simplification and accessibility of the application process, which for the first time allowed voters to apply online and via SMS.
Over 95 000 (approximately 13%) applications were received online and over 208 000 via SMS (approximately 28%).
Special votes were available for all registered voters including disabled, infirm and pregnant voters as well as members of the security forces, election officials, the media and any other voters who are unable to visit their voting station.
The special voting process is subject to all the same security and integrity protocols of normal voting, including scrutiny by party agents and observers, along with additional checks, including a double-envelope system which allows the special votes to be reconciled against the voters’ roll and special vote application system but still protects the secrecy of the voter’s ballot.
All special votes collected are stored securely overnight and are then opened, reconciled and added to the ordinary ballots cast on August 3 before counting begins.
