IEC must step up with poll papers

We’ve said this before but it is worth repeating: the Electoral Commission of South Africa (which continues to refer to itself as the IEC) is one of the best functioning parts of our democracy.

Despite having a job which is not that far off from herding cats, the IEC has remained impartial and efficient in delivering free and fair elections. The organisation stands out on a continent where vote-rigging and electoral irregularities are commonplace… and yes, we are looking at you, Zimbabwe.

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Next year’s poll, though, is going to be its biggest challenge yet. Not because of trouble-making politicians, but because of the complexity of the exercise.

For a start, it’s a whole new electoral boardgame, following amendments to the law that provide for independent candidates to stand, outside political parties, for seats in national and provincial parliament.

This has resulted in what will be the most complex election in South African history, with voters being issued with three ballot papers.

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One will be for 200 representatives at national level. A second will be for a regional-to-national ballot, which will see both political parties and independents contesting. The third paper will be for representatives to provincial legislatures and will also see parties and independents competing.

The IEC has stressed that voters who cast their votes outside the province where they are registered – like South Africans working abroad, for example – will only be able to vote on the national ballot. And that is fair enough, we think.

This complex ballot paper system is going to require explaining and the education of voters because even for well-educated people, this will be something new.

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It is vital, therefore, that the IEC steps up its education programmes to get the message out. And we, as a newspaper, have a duty to assist in that process.