For the National Assembly, province legislatures, and local councils, elections are held in South Africa. Elections are held on a five-year cycle, with municipal elections occurring two years after the national and provincial elections. According to the party-list proportional representation electoral system, parties are represented in proportion to the amount of support they get from voters.
Every South African citizen who is 18 years of age or older is eligible to vote in elections for the National Assembly, including (as of the election in 2014) those who reside abroad of South Africa. Only individuals who live in the province or municipality may vote in elections for the provincial legislature or municipal council. The Constitution established the Electoral Commission of South Africa as an independent body to oversee all elections.
Based on the voter’s residence at the time of registration to vote, each voter in South Africa is given a voting district. A single voting station is exclusively connected to each voting district. On election day, voters who are outside their registered district may cast their ballots at a different polling place, but additional paperwork is needed. District borders are set in order to effectively plan and run elections; voting districts have no relevance outside of the electoral process. A population of around 3,000 people is required for urban voting districts within a radius of 7.5 kilometers (4.7 mi), and a population of about 1,200 people is required for rural voting districts within a radius of 10 kilometers (6.2 mi).
There were 22,933 voting districts across the country as of 2019. Before each election, the Electoral Commission’s Delimitation Directorate reviews and modifies the district borders that it established.
In South Africa, who casts presidential ballots?
The president is typically the leader of the largest party, which has been the African National Congress since the first multiracial election was held on April 27, 1994. The president is chosen by the National Assembly, the lower house of Parliament. The president is only permitted to serve two terms of five years each per the Constitution.
When did black people in South Africa become eligible to vote?
The 1994 South African general election—the first with universal suffrage for adults—was made possible by the South African Constitution of 1993, also known as the Interim Constitution. The 27th of April is observed as “Freedom Day,” a national holiday.
Can a foreigner vote in South Africa?
Every adult citizen in South Africa has the right to vote in elections for any legislative body formed under the Constitution, according to Article 19(3) of the 1996 Constitution. Non-citizens are not granted the right to vote by law.
Is voting permitted for prisoners?
A person incarcerated in a municipal jail or another facility while serving a state prison sentence is not eligible to register and vote.
