Frequently Asked Questions

About the IEC

Frequently asked questions about the IEC

General

• When was the IEC established?
  

  An interim electoral commission was established in 1993 to conduct South Africa’s first fully democratic elections in 1994. The newly constituted parliament drafted a new Constitution for South Africa in 1996, which replaced the interim constitution of 1993 and provided for the establishment of a new, permanent Electoral Commission in 1997. This new, permanent commission is the current IEC.
  

For voters

Questions frequently asked by voters

Can I vote...

• Can I vote if I can't get to my voting station on Election Day because I'm heavily pregnant?
  

  If you can't get to your voting station on Election Day for National and Provincial elections because you're heavily pregnant, you can apply for a special vote. Please see special votes for details.

• Can I vote if I registered but am now in prison?
  

  Yes, you can vote in national and provincial elections as long as you have your valid, green, bar-coded ID and you are registered to vote. Check your voter registration status online to confirm that your name appears on the voters' roll.

• Can I vote if I registered but have lost my ID with the sticker in it?
  

  Yes, just get a Temporary Identity Certificate (TIC) that will be valid on election day. You can apply for your TIC at the Department of Home Affairs. Please also check your registration details and confirm that your name appears on the voters' roll (check your voter registration status online). You can re-register if necessary, as you must be on the voters' roll to vote (see How do I register? for details).

• Can I vote if I turn 18 soon AFTER election day?
  

  No, you must have turned 18 on or before election day to be able to vote. No exceptions can be made.

• Can I vote if I will be in another town or province on election day?
  

  National and Provincial Elections:
  You need to vote at the voting station where you're registered to vote. However, if you're outside of your voting district on Election Day you may vote at another voting station in South Africa. If you're outside the province where you registered, you'll only be able to vote in the national election and not the provincial election, and you'll be asked to complete a VEC 4 form at the voting station.
  Municipal Elections and By-Elections:
  You need to vote at the voting station at which you're registered.
  
  Please remember that you must be a registered voter in South Africa in order to vote. To confirm that your name is on the voters' roll and to find out which voting station you're registered at, please check your voter registration status online or SMS your ID number to 32810. To locate your voting station on a map, please see our online voting station finder.

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General

• How does the IEC ensure security and non-intimidation at voting stations?
  

  There are police and/or army personnel at every voting station to ensure your safety.

• I am blind. Can someone help me at the voting station?
  

  You can take anyone who is at least 18 years old and not a party agent with you to the voting station to help you cast your vote. You can also ask the presiding officer at the voting station to help you.

• I have registered, but I don't want to vote. Will anything happen to me if I don't vote?
  

  No, voting is not compulsory in SA, however voting is an important civic duty and we encourage all South Africans to participate.

• I'm in the SANDF/SAPS and on duty on Election Day. When will I vote?
  

  If you’re a member of the SANDF or SAPS and are on duty on Election Day for National and Provincial elections, you can apply for a special vote. Please see special votes for details.

• Will election day be a public holiday?
  

  This decision isn’t up to us; it’s decided by The President in consultation with the Minister of Home Affairs.

Voter registration

• Are posters of political parties allowed in registration stations?
  

  No, people are not allowed to place party posters in registration or voting stations.

• Can I register at any time before the election?
  

  No, the Voters’ Roll for a specific election closes at 5pm on the day of proclamation of the election date (The President's official announcement of the election date). Please see How do I register? for details.
  

• Can I register at my nearest voting station?
  

  No, you must register at the voting station (only open for registration during special registration weekends) in your voting district, and this might not be the one closest to your home. To find out where your voting station is, please use the online voting station finder.

• Can I re-register after the voters' roll closes?
  

  No, once the voters' roll closes (at 5pm on the date of proclamation of the election date), you can't change/update your details for that election. You will have to wait until after the election.

• Can I still register if I can't register over the registration weekend?
  

  You can register during office hours at the Municipal Electoral Office responsible for the voting district in which you live. Please see How do I register? for details.

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Where to vote

• Can I vote at my nearest voting station?
  

  National and Provincial Elections:
  You need to vote at the voting station where you're registered to vote. However, if you're outside of your voting district on Election Day you may vote at another voting station in South Africa. If you're outside the province where you registered, you'll only be able to vote in the national election and not the provincial election, and you'll be asked to complete a VEC 4 form at the voting station.
  Municipal Elections and By-Elections:
  You need to vote at the voting station at which you're registered.
  
  Please remember that you must be a registered voter in South Africa in order to vote. To confirm that your name is on the voters' roll and to find out which voting station you're registered at, please check your voter registration status online or SMS your ID number to 32810. To locate your voting station on a map, please see our online voting station finder.

• Can I vote online or by post?
  

  No, you must vote in person at your voting station.

• How do I know if my voting station has changed?
  

  We try to communicate any changes to you, but please check your voter registration status online before each election to confirm that your voting station hasn't changed.

• I registered at a temporary registration station. Where do I vote?
  

  Voting stations may change from time to time, depending on availability of each voting venue. To find out where your voting station is, please check your voter registration status online. You can then use our online voting station finder to find a map to your voting station.

• Where can I vote?
  

  National and Provincial Elections:
  You need to vote at the voting station where you're registered to vote. However, if you're outside of your voting district on Election Day you may vote at another voting station in South Africa. If you're outside the province where you registered, you'll only be able to vote in the national election and not the provincial election, and you'll be asked to complete a VEC 4 form at the voting station.
  Municipal Elections and By-Elections:
  You need to vote at the voting station at which you're registered.
  
  Please remember that you must be a registered voter in South Africa in order to vote. To confirm that your name is on the voters' roll and to find out which voting station you're registered at, please check your voter registration status online or SMS your ID number to 32810. To locate your voting station on a map, please see our online voting station finder.

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Voters roll

Frequently asked questions about the Voters' Roll

General

• How many people are registered to vote?
  

  Please see the latest registration statistics for the national and provincial figures by gender and age group.

• What is the relationship between a Voting District and the Voters' Roll?
  

  Although all voters are registered on a single National Common Voters' Roll, each voting station receives only the section of the national voters' roll for that particular voting district. The voters on one segment of the roll will not appear on any other segment anywhere else in the country.

Objections and appeals

• How do I lodge an objection to the voters' roll?
  

  Please go to your Municipal Electoral Office during office hours and tell the Municipal Electoral Officer you would like to lodge an objection. They will give you a form to complete and explain the objections process.

• When can I lodge an objection or appeal a decision?
  

  You can lodge an objection or appeal a decision at any time up until the voters' roll closes, which is at 5pm on the day that the President proclaims the election date.

• When will I know the outcome of my objection or appeal?
  

  A final decision will be made within 14 days of your objection or appeal.