A special vote allows a registered voter who can't vote at their voting station on election day to apply to vote on a predetermined day before election day.
Special voting in South Africa in the 2019 National and Provincial Elections will take place on Monday 6 May 2019 and Tuesday 7 May 2019, as per the election timetable.
By law, special votes can only be cast on the dates specified in the election timetable and no exceptions can be made.
Do I qualify for a special vote?
You can apply if you –
- Are a registered voter;
- Have a valid South African identity document (green, barcoded ID book; smart ID card; or a valid Temporary Identity Certificate).
To check that you're registered and to find out where you're registered, you can:
By law, you can apply for a special vote if you:
- can’t travel to your voting station because you are physically infirm, disabled or pregnant; or;
- can’t vote at your voting station on election day.
How to apply for a special vote at my voting station?
If you can’t vote at your voting station on election day, you can apply to cast a special vote at your voting station on 6 or 7 May 2019 between 4 and 18 April 2019 only, as per the election timetable, in one of the following ways:
- Online via the website https://www.elections.org.za/content/For-Voters/Special-vote-online-application/;
- By SMSing your identity number to 32249 (for special votes at a voting station ONLY);
- By visiting your local IEC office (not the national or provincial offices) and submitting a VEC1 form. Forms can only be hand-delivered (no emails or faxes accepted), but someone else can deliver your completed form on your behalf.
You will receive an SMS notifying you of the outcome once your application has been processed, but you can also check the status of your special vote application online.
Remember to vote at the voting station where you are registered and applied for the special vote, either on 6 or 7 May 2019.
How to apply for a special vote by home visit
If you can’t travel to your voting station on election day because you are physically infirm, disabled or pregnant, you can apply to cast a special vote by home visit on 6 or 7 May 2019 between 4 and 18 April 2019 only, as per the election timetable, in one of the following ways:
You will receive an SMS notifying you of the outcome once your application has been processed, but you can also check the status of your special vote application online.
If you can’t travel to the voting station where you are registered because you are physically infirm, disabled or pregnant, voting officials will visit you at the address that you indicated in your application for a home visit either on 6 or 7 May 2019 and allow you to vote.
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.