Mbombela’s special votes commence without a hitch
According to the Electoral Commission, the special votes kicked off trouble-free at voting stations all across the province, while some officials did home visits.
Lowvelder visited some of the special voting stations in Mbombela today, May 27. The paper visited Laerskool Laeveld and the Valencia Community Hall, as well as going along during some home visits in West Acres and Steiltes. Currently, everything is running smoothly. The police are present at all these areas to ensure a peaceful process.
According to the Electoral Commission’s (IEC) national spokesperson, Kate Bapela, 126 112 citizens have registered for special votes. “Our officials from the commission will visit homes and institutions of care as well as voting stations across the country. At this moment, since the opening of the stations and the home visits, everything is under control and we are monitoring all voting stations with law enforcement officers deployed at all of them.”
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She said special votes will be dealt with in the presence of representatives of party contestants and observers where available. She reminded voters to have their identity documents ready as a requirement for participation. After casting their votes, the ballots will be inserted in an unmarked envelope which, in turn, will be inserted in a second envelope with the voter’s details on it.
“Officials will help all voters who require assistance on election day. In collaboration with the South African National Council for the Blind, we have developed a voting aid, the universal ballot template [UBT], to enable all citizens to exercise their vote confidently and confidentially,” she said.
The UBT can be used by:
• blind and partially sighted people;
• low-vision users;
• people with unsteady hands such as those with motor and nervous conditions;
• elderly citizens; and
• people with low literacy levels.
