The Electoral Commission is pleased to report that the second registration weekend for the imminent 2024 National and Provincial Elections got off to a good start.
Within five hours of the registration process getting under way across the network of 23 303 voting stations nationwide, the Electoral Commission reports a seamless start, with over 99% of stations operational within minutes of the commencement time of 08h00. We thank the 68 718 electoral officers for their duty to the country.
In the initial hours of this two-day registration weekend, an impressive 304 221 voters have visited voting stations. Of these, 55 019 were persons who were registering for the first time. This early turnout not only sets a positive tone for the registration period but also serves as a testament that citizens remain engaged with affairs of their country.
The Electoral Commission extends sincere appreciation to the citizens of this great nation for their enthusiastic participation. Whether you are a first-time participant or a seasoned voter, we encourage all South Africans to seize this historic moment by registering and casting their votes in the forthcoming elections.
Today alone, the online voter registration portal recorded over 20 325 (7 234 new) voter registration transactions. We urge voters who may have had a less than pleasant experience using the online platform, to try again. The online portal remains available 24 hours a day until the day the elections are proclaimed.
This weekend’s important registration activity comes on the back of two major achievements by the Commission. These are:
- The national voters’ roll has, for the first time, surpassed the 27 million mark. In the 2019 NPE, the certified voters’ roll stood at 26.7 million.
- The online registration platform continues to prove that it is the mainstay of registrations in between general voter registration weekends. We recorded just under 200 000 new registrations since the registration weekend in November 2023. Overall registration activity in that period is 498 000. This is a historic feat.
For those in need of assistance with identity documents from the Department of Home Affairs, its offices are open this weekend, facilitating the collection and issuance of necessary documents for registration purposes. The Electoral Commission extends profound gratitude to the Department for their exceptional support.
It is important to reiterate that our collective goal, as a nation, is to ensure that every one of the eligible voters in South Africa is registered to vote in the 2024 National and Provincial Elections. It is, therefore, apposite that we remind voters of the general rule in elections. That is, a person votes at a voting station where they are registered. The only exception to the general rule is that a voter may vote outside of the voting district of registration upon notification to the Electoral Commission by a date to be regulated by the Election Timetable.
In conclusion, the Electoral Commission encourages all eligible voters to seize the remaining hours of this Registration Weekend to actively participate in shaping the future of our nation, whether online or at registration stations.
This is your democracy, own it.
ISSUED BY THE ELECTORAL COMMISSION
Ensuring free and fair elections
Centurion
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