The Electoral Commission (the Commission) is
set to start a public conversation about the prospect of electronic voting
(e-voting) in South African elections. To launch public debate and discussion
on the subject, the Commission will host a three-day e-voting conference in
Cape Town from 10-12 March 2025.
This conference will serve as a pivotal
platform for initiating a public conversation about the possibility of
introducing electronic voting sometime in the future. The conference is based
on research commissioned by the Commission and undertaken by the Human Sciences
Research Council (HSRC). The research study produced a discussion document
which navigates all crucial aspects related to electronic voting and
implications for South Africa. The discussion document will be launched at the
conference.
The key components of the discussion
document includes the following:
- Country
review of electronic voting including those countries currently using
poll-site technologies as well as those who use internet voting. This
includes countries that introduced electronic voting but subsequently
abandoned it.
- Key
insights from the legislative review indicate that in the event electronic
voting is adopted then there would a necessity for legislative amendments.
- Lessons
from two roundtables, which were conducted with academics and
representatives of blind persons.
- Lessons
from key informant interviews that were conducted with civil society
organizations and election management bodies.
- Views
which were solicited through a public opinion survey.
- An
overall outline of the findings of the studies conducted.
IEC CEO Mr Sy Mamabolo says the conference
serves as a significant opportunity for South Africans to shape the future of
voting in the digital world. “It is part of the statutory purview of the
Commission to conduct research with a view to improving the quality of
elections. We must investigate new approaches to improve the electoral process,
voter experience, accessibility, and enable cost savings."
Mamabolo went on to say that “some of the
research findings indicate that there is no common understanding of what
e-voting entails. This conference aims not only to reflect on possibilities for
implementing e-voting but also to drive common understanding and knowledge of
the subject among South Africans. We encourage further conversations and lively
debates among South Africans from all walks of life as we have seen happening
in some social media platforms recently.”
The conference will bring together political
parties, members of the Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs, corporates in the
ICT sphere, government officials, research and development institutions.
Representatives of some countries which have implemented electronic voting are
also confirmed for participation in this conference. This includes Estonia,
Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Namibia.
The three-day conference will feature a
variety of sessions, including presentation of a discussion document on four
broad themes, and demonstrations of the latest advancements in e-voting
systems. Each session will be anchored by a presentation of key research
findings followed by a reply from respondents with knowledge on the relevant
theme.
Telecommunications and network connectivity
service providers will share current and future developments in the digital
ecosystem space.
Furthermore, the conference will include an
Expo where technology companies will display and demonstrate some of the
available e-voting technologies and provide participants with a sense of how
these technologies can be intuitively operated.
After the launch of the discussion document
at the conference, it will be posted on the Electoral Commission digital
platforms, including on the website.
Details of the conference are as
follows:
Date:
10 -12 March 2025
Time:
9h00
Venue:
Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC)
ISSUED
BY THE ELECTORAL COMMISSION
Ensuring
free, fair and credible elections
For media queries: Please contact Kate Bapela on 082 600 6386
For media interviews: Email requests to spokesperson@elections.org.za
Also reach the IEC on: