No ‘selfies’ please!
IEC bans photography of ballot papers in voting booth.
In the times we live in, everything requires a ‘selfie’.
Anything from what you are eating for lunch, to the clothes you decide to put on in the morning, to the clouds as you drive to work must appear on social media.
Well, if you were planning on Instagram-ming or tweeting your ballot paper in the voting booth on Wednesday, think again.
The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) has issued a statement placing a ban on photography inside the voting booth, as it is against the law to replicate a ballot paper.
“It is a criminal offence to take and/or publish photographs which reveal your vote on a ballot paper.”
Anyone found guilty of this offence will be liable to a fine or up to a year in prison.
While the IEC is not legally allowed to take away voters’ cellphones it is humbly appealing for voters to obey the law.
Photography outside the voting booth is allowed and encouraged.
Commenting on the Courier FaceBook page, residents felt that taking a ‘selfie’ inside the voting booth was disrespectful.
Hlengiwe Mofokeng said your vote should be private and confidential since it is a civil duty, while Aneesa Valley and Sonja Pixy Kuschke said that although they would not take ‘selfies’, their votes would not be secret.
