Special voting applications open today

Today (April 4) marks the commencement of applications for special voting within South Africa for the 2019 national elections.

The period to apply for special voter status ends on April 18.

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During May 6 and 7, special votes will be cast in line with the election timetable set by the IEC, and no exceptions can be made by law.

According to the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC), a special vote enables a registered voter to apply to vote on a predetermined day before the election day.

This is due to a voter being unable to vote at their designated voting station on election day.

Registered voters who fall under the special voter category due to not being able to travel to the voting station on election day are:

• Disabled

• Pregnant

• Physically infirm

• Those who are unable to travel to their voting station

In order to apply for special voting, an eligible voter must be registered to vote and have a valid South African identity document (green, bar-coded ID book or smart ID card or a valid temporary identity certificate).

Applying for special voting at the voting station:

• Online via the website https://www.elections.org.za/content/For-Voters/Special-vote-online-application/

• Sms your ID number to 32249 (for special votes at a voting station only).

• Visit your local IEC office (not the national or provincial offices) and submit a VEC1 form. Forms can only be hand-delivered and someone else can deliver your completed form on your behalf. Email and faxing is not allowed.

You will receive an SMS notifying you of the outcome once your application has been processed, but you can also check the status of your special vote application online.

Applying for special voting via home visits:

• The IEC states if you are unable to travel to the voting station you are registered at because you are physically infirm, disabled or pregnant, voting officials will visit you at the address that you indicated in your application for a home visit either on May 6 or 7, and allow you to vote.

• The process for this is the same as applying for special voting.

Further to this, the IEC provides aid for voters with disabilities and special needs.

“The IEC, together with the South African National Council for the Blind (SANCB), has developed a voting aid, the Universal Ballot Template (UBT), to assist persons with disabilities and special needs to have an independent and secret vote during elections,” the IEC website states.

The UBT can be used by:

• Blind and partially-sighted people

• Low-vision users

• People who are dyslexic

• The elderly

• People with low literacy

• People with motor and nervous conditions which do not allow for a steady hand.

For more information on UBT, visit the IEC website.

The IEC website outlines the following process if a person is approved for special voting:

• Your thumbnail is marked with indelible ink.

• You receive the relevant ballot paper(s).

• You mark the ballot(s) in secret and then place and seal the ballot(s) in an unmarked envelope.

• The unmarked envelope is placed in another envelope that is marked with your name, ID number and voting district (VD) number.

• The use of two envelopes is to ensure the secrecy of your ballot (the outer envelope is discarded before counting).

• IEC officials take the envelope and place it in a secure ballot box for special votes.

• Your name is marked off the voters’ roll with “SV” to indicate that you have cast a special vote.

To check your registration status, SMS your ID number to 32810 or call the IEC’s contact centre on 0800 11 800.

(Information: www.elections.org.za)

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