With the upcoming General Elections on Wednesday, 29 May 2024, the Electoral Commission of South Africa has outlined the process for applying for special votes. A special vote enables a registered voter who cannot vote at their designated voting station on Election Day to cast their vote on a specified day before Election Day. To qualify for a special vote, you must be unable to visit your local voting station on Election Day due to pregnancy, illness, disability, or other reasons such as work commitments. Special votes can be cast either at home (with IEC officials visiting your residence) or at a designated voting station. For this year's general elections, special votes and home visits will take place on 27 and 28 May. The deadline to apply for special votes is 3 May, according to the IEC.
Do YOU 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; smartcard ID, or a valid Temporary Identity Certificate). To check that you're registered and to find out where you're registered, you can:
- Check your voter registration status;
- SMS your ID number to 32810; or
- Call the IEC's contact centre on 012 622 5700.
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 the predetermined date only, as per the election timetable, in one of the following ways:
- Using our secured online application form
- By SMSing your identity number to 32249 (R1.00 per SMS). (For special vote at a voting station ONLY)
- By visiting your local IEC office (not the national or provincial offices) and submitting an MEC 35 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.
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 at the place where you ordinarily reside on the predetermined dates only, as per the election timetable, in one of the following ways:
- Using our secured online application form
- By having a family member or friend visit your local IEC office (not the national or provincial offices) and submitting an MEC 35 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.
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 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.
Voting in South Africa is personal because it gives each of us a chance to actively participate in our democracy. It's about holding our leaders accountable, making sure our voices are heard in policy decisions, and ensuring that everyone, regardless of background, is represented. It's our duty as citizens to protect our rights and shape the future of our country through our votes.
