The municipal elections will be held on November 1, but the election system allows for special votes to be made on October 30 and 31 if you are for some reason unable to vote on November 1.
According to the IEC, you can by law apply for a special vote if you either can’t travel to your voting station because you are physically infirm, disabled or pregnant or if you can’t vote at your voting station on the day.
Applications for special votes close on October 4. To apply for a special vote, you need to be a registered voter and have a valid South African identity document, which is either a green, barcoded ID book, a smartcard ID or a valid temporary identity certificate.
To apply for a special vote at your voting station, you can either apply online by visiting the IEC website, www.elections.org.za, or by submitting a MEC 35 form at your local IEC office.
The MEC 35 form needs to be hand-delivered but someone can deliver it on your behalf.
If you are unable to travel to your voting station because you are physically infirm, disabled or pregnant, you can apply to cast a special vote at your place of residence.
Once your application has been processed, you will receive an email that will notify you of the outcome or you can check your special vote status online at the IEC website.