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No selfies, and other steps to follow in voting day
JOBURG – When the day finally arrives, make sure you know what will happen after you stand in line at the voting station.
On 3 August, the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) is expecting over 6 million voters in Gauteng this year, many of whom will vote for the first time.
Five years since the last local government elections, but only two years since the last national and provincial elections, registered voters will once again practise their democratic right by voting on 3 August .
But before getting your left thumb inked, there are a few things you need to remember on voting day:
- Wake up early and find your correct voting station. Every voting station will have clear markings outside that indicate it as a voting station. Look out for the blue and white colours of the IEC
- After you know where you are going, prepare to queue outside of said voting station where you will eventually present your valid identification document to the door controller at the entrance
- Check that you are on the voters’ roll. Your name will be crossed off the roll, ensuring you can only vote once
- Get your left thumb nail inked. This is a special ink that will not wash off your nail for several days. This ink mark will show everyone that you have participated in the election
- Get your ballot papers. As a voter in the City of Johannesburg you will receive two ballot papers. One for the ward councillor and the other for the political party. Make sure that there is a stamp on the back of your ballot papers to verify that they were issued to you on that election day
- Get your identification documents stamped
- Find an empty voting booth and make your mark. Remember, the IEC warns that no photos can be taken of a marked ballot paper, no unfortunately selfies are a no-go. If you make a mistake on the ballot, you can ask one of the many elections officials for another
- Finally, you can cast your vote. You will drop the ballot paper into the slot of the ballot box.
Source: IEC at www.elections.org.za
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