Voters can visit their voting stations on 10 and 11 March to update their details on the national voters’ roll in preparation for the national elections next year.
Eligible voters will be able to update their information either by going to these stations, they can verify it through the online portal, or by sending an SMS with their ID number to 32810.
The Independent Electoral Commision (IEC) contact centre (0800 11 8000) has also been activated so that voters can call from Monday to Friday during office hours to find their correct voting station.
The voter registration weekend will see all 22 612 voting stations around the country open for the public between 8am and 5pm over the weekend.
Here, new voters over the age of 16 can register, registered voters can update their addresses so they can vote in their correct district.
The IEC has made an early start to the preparations for the national elections next year. This after the Constitutional Court, in 2016, gave it until June this year to update the voters’ roll with all available addresses.
The addresses of 2,8 million voters are still outstanding but according to the IEC, it has reduced the percentage of registered voters without any recorded addresses from 32 per cent to about 11 per cent.
The proportion of complete addresses has also jumped from 34 per cent of registered voters in March 2016 to 75 per cent of registered voters currently.
Chief electoral officer, Sy Mamabolo urged all voters to make every effort to visit their voting station on 10 and 11 March.
“The voters’ roll is the bedrock of electoral integrity,” he said. “Its quality is the foundation for credible, free and fair elections. This includes making sure all eligible voters are registered in the correct segment of the voters’ roll.
“The voters’ roll is a national asset. It requires constant maintenance, constant updating, constant checking to retain its currency and its quality.”
Voters visiting their voting station should remember to take their bar-coded green ID book, smart card ID or valid temporary ID certificate. Proof of residence is not required, the IEC said.
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