#IMadeMyMark: Voter registration
Things you need to know about the voting registrations.
With the local government elections soon approaching, there are several questions and factors one considers regarding the elections.
One may find themselves asking what do you vote for in the municipal elections?
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In municipal elections you elect your local councillors who serve on the council for a five-year term:
• Fifty percent of councillors on the council are elected directly as ward councillors to represent a specific ward. These councillors are elected using a ‘First past the post’ system, which means the candidate with the most votes wins.
• Fifty percent of councillors on the council are elected via the proportional representation (PR) method (via party lists). This means each voter gets to vote for both a ward councillor and for a political party.
If you live in a metro, you will get two ballot papers, one to elect your ward councillor and one to vote for the political party you want to run your city.
If you live in a local municipality you will get a third ballot paper which is also a vote for a political party to represent your local municipality on the district council.
Where do you register?
All eligible voters must register within the voting district where they ordinarily reside. Voters can register in three ways:
• At their voting station between 08:00 and 17:00 on July 17 and 18.
• At their local IEC office (which are usually located at municipal offices) weekdays between 08:00 and 16:00.
How do I find my voting station?
There are two ways voters can find their correct voting station:
• Call the Electoral Commission contact centre on 0800 11 8000 between 08:00 and 17:00 on weekdays. Contact centre agents are also available to assist voters on Twitter (@IECSouthAfrica), Facebook (IECSouthAfrica), email (info@elections.org.za) and webchat at www.elections.org.za
• Use the voting station finder app on the IEC website at www.elections.org.za
Must you provide proof of address?
Voters are required to provide details of their physical residential address but are NOT required to provide proof of address (e.g. you don’t need a municipal account or other documentation proving where you live).
How does the registration process work and how long does it take?
A voter who elects to apply to register in person at their voting station or local IEC office will have their ID card/document scanned by an official using a Voter Management Device.
The voter will then be asked for certain contact details followed by their residential address where they ordinarily reside so that the voter can be registered in the correct voting district.
At the end of the process, the voter will receive an SMS and/or email confirming the outcome of their application to register as a voter.
A voter can check their registration by contacting the contact centre on 0800 11 8000 or SMS your ID number to 32810 (at R1).
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