3 Important Things to Know About Voting in South Africa
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Voting is a right and a privilege. It’s also your responsibility as a citizen of South Africa. Luckily, you can vote in any general election (local, national, or provincial) whether you’ve previously registered to vote or not. Voting takes only a few minutes and requires that you know your postal address, identity document details, and where you will be on election day. Most importantly, you need to be enrolled to vote! To make it easier for you, we’ve compiled the three most important things every South African should know about voting in South Africa.
Know the requirements to vote in South Africa
If you are a South African citizen over 18, you can vote in any general election. If you want to vote in the following national and provincial elections, you must register to vote. You can register at any time and can even do it on the day of the election, but it’s best to register early so that you don’t miss out. You can register to vote online, by phone, or at your nearest polling station. You will need to provide proof of your identities, such as a valid South African ID, a valid South African passport, a valid provincial driving license (issued after 1994), or a valid certified copy of your birth certificate. You will also need to provide proof of your current South African address, such as a utility bill, bank statement, or school certificate. Your address needs to be current because the Electoral Commission of South Africa (ECSA) uses the address on your identity document and your current address to determine which voting district you are registered in. The voting district determines which polling station you will vote at on election day. If your address changes after you have registered to vote, you must notify ECSA.
How to register to vote in South Africa
If you are not already registered to vote, you must do so before the close of registration (25 August 2019). You can register at any time and can even do it on the day of the election, but it’s best to register early so that you don’t miss out. Online: Go to the South African Electoral Commission website and select “Register to vote online”. By phone: Call 0800 101 099 and select “Register to vote”. At your nearest polling station: Present yourself at your nearest polling station with your ID and proof of your current address. Your address needs to be current because the Electoral Commission of South Africa (ECSA) uses the address on your identity document and your current address to determine which voting district you are registered in. The voting district determines which polling station you will vote at on election day. If your address changes after you have registered to vote, you must notify ECSA.
Where and when to vote in the 2019 election
General elections in South Africa are held every five years. The next national and provincial elections will be communicated to the general public. Voting takes place over two days because voting takes place at different times in different provinces, and the entire country cannot vote at once. Voting takes place between 7 am and 5 pm. Remember, you can only vote at your assigned voting station, so make sure you know where to go. If you registered to vote online, you could locate your voting station by clicking on the “Find your voting station” button on the ECSA website. If you register by phone, you can locate your voting station by calling the ECSA call center at 0800 101 099. If registered at your nearest polling station, you can locate your voting station by visiting the station with your ID. You can also find your voting station by entering your address on the ECSA website.
Things to remember for future voting
– Know who you are voting for. You can find out who is running for office and what they stand for by visiting the voting website. – Remember to bring your ID and proof of your current address. – Remember to update your address if it changes. – Remember that voting ends at 5 pm. – Remember that voting is your responsibility. No one can vote on your behalf. – Remember that you can vote in municipal, provincial, and national elections. – Remember that you can vote online or by phone.
By-elections and voting on election day
By-elections are elections for a vacant seat in parliament. They can occur for a variety of reasons and are usually very localized. If you are voting in a by-election, you must go to the voting station your voting district is assigned. Election day voting stations will be located in the same voting district as the by-election they are voting in.
Conclusion
Voting is a right and a privilege. It’s also your responsibility as a citizen of South Africa. Luckily, you can vote in any general election (local, national, or provincial) whether you’ve previously registered to vote or not. Voting takes only a few minutes and requires that you know your postal address, identity document details, and where you will be on election day. Most importantly, you need to be enrolled to vote! If you follow these guidelines, you’ll be voting in no time.
