What to remember for voting day

South Africans can visit any of the 22,924 voting stations around the country on May 8 to cast their ballots in the national elections, but will have to be in their home province to cast their votes in the provincial election.

If you are voting outside the province in which you initially registered, you will only receive a national ballot.

Voting stations are set to open at 7am and close at 9pm on Wednesday, which has been declared a public holiday to facilitate voting.

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Expats have already cast their ballots at South African missions abroad on April 27, while those who applied for special votes were either casting their ballots at voting stations on May 6 and 7, or via a home visit by Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) officials for the elderly and the infirm.

The National Ballot paper will contain some 48 political parties – 19 more than those who contested the elections in 2014.

The IEC has provided some easy steps to help you through the voting process:

• Find your nearest voting station
• Present your green bar ID, Smartcard ID, or a valid temporary ID certificate
• Check if your name appears on the voters roll and scan your ID
• Receive your ballot papers and proceed to a voting booth to make your mark

– African News Agency (ANA)

Additional reporting by Nica Schreuder

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