When:
Sunday, 31 October 2021 8:00 AM
-
5:00 PM
The Electoral Commission encourages
South Africans to apply for special votes. Voters who will not be able to cast
their votes on 1 November 2021 at their voting station and those voters who are
not able to travel to the voting stations because of physical infirmity or
disability can vote by special vote on the two days preceding Election
Day.
Applications for special votes opened
on September 20 and will close on 4 October 2021 at 17h00. Eligible voters, who
are unable to travel to the voting station and have successfully applied for a
special vote will be visited at their places of residence or confinement on 30
or 31 October 2021.
Sy Mamabolo, Chief Electoral Officer
of the Electoral Commission, encouraged eligible voters who cannot travel to
their voting stations or those who will be away from their voting districts on
election day to apply for a special vote. “Everyone’s vote counts. If you’re a
registered voter and you cannot vote at your voting station on Election Day,
you can apply and if approved vote by special vote," Mamabolo said.
He appealed to those who would be on
duty on Election Day, November 1 – such as police officers, nurses, doctors and
members of the media – to apply for special votes. If approved, this category
of voters will cast their ballots at their voting station of registration on 30
or 31 October 2021.
Requirements for special vote are:
To qualify for a special vote, a
person must be registered as a voter, they must apply by the cut-off date and
time which is 4 October 2021 at 17h00. On the day of special votes approved
voters must present a green barcoded identity book, a smart identity card or a
valid temporary identity certificate.
Registered voters may apply for a
special vote if they: Are unable to vote on voting day in the voting district
at the voting station where registered to vote (voting station special vote);
and Are unable to travel to their voting station where registered to vote owing
to physical infirmity or disability (home visit special vote).
Methods of special vote applications
Voting Station Special Votes:
1.
Voters may apply online www.elections.org.za
2.
Apply via SMS – send voter ID number to 32249
3.
Apply in person or by causing an application, appendix 25 form, to be hand
delivered to the Municipal Electoral Office.
Home Visit Special Votes:
1.
Voters may apply online www.elections.org.za
2.
Apply in person or by causing an application, appendix 25 form, to be hand
delivered to the Municipal Electoral Office.
Once the Electoral Commission has
received and considered a special vote application, a voter will be notified by
SMS about the status of their special vote application.
To check the status of your special
vote application, send your ID number by SMS to 32711 or visit www.elections.org.za
What happens when I cast a special vote?
If your application for a special
vote is successful, you will vote as follows:
Your thumbnail is marked with
indelible ink.
You receive the relevant ballot
paper(s).
You mark the ballot(s) in secret,
place and seal the ballot(s) in an unmarked envelope.
The unmarked envelope is placed in
another envelope that is marked with your name, ID number and voting district
(VD) number.
The use of two envelopes is to ensure
the secrecy of your ballot (the outer envelope is discarded before counting).
IEC officials take the envelope and
place it in a secure ballot box for special votes.
Your name is marked off the Voters'
Roll with “SV” to indicate that you have cast a special vote.