The Electoral Commission has launched an online voter registration facility allowing new voters to register and existing voters to update or amend their registration from the ease and convenience of their homes or elsewhere.
\nLaunched on Wednesday, the online voter registration facility is part of the Electoral Commission\u2019s ongoing commitment to provide greater accessibility and convenience to voters.
\n\u201cThe Electoral Commission believes the online facility will be a game-changer in promoting voter registration especially among young and first-time voters. Research and engagements over the years with young eligible voters to better understand their behaviour have frequently identified the lack of online voter registration as a key obstacle,\u201d the IEC said.
\nThe introduction of an online registration system is also a crucial part of the Electoral Commission\u2019s plans to boost voter registration despite COVID-19 ahead of the Local Government Elections scheduled for 27 October this year.
\n\u201cThe Electoral Commission hopes that providing a facility whereby voters can register, check and update their registration details without having to visit an IEC office or a voting station will serve to minimise congestion and maximum registration,\u201d the IEC said.
\nThe online voter registration facility follows the implementation of a range of other digital service channels over the past five years including online candidate nominations, online special vote applications and online party funding declarations. It has been in development for a number of years.
\n\u201cThe first phase was the introduction of an online service known as \u201cClick, Check, Confirm\u201d ahead of the 2019 National and Provincial Elections through which existing voters were able to check and amend their registration.
\n\u201cMore than 350 000 voters have made use of this system since its introduction. The second phase allows all eligible voters \u2013 whether registered or not \u2013 to register and update their details via a computer, smart mobile device or tablet,\u201d the IEC said.
\nThe system will utilise a number of security checks to ensure the integrity of the voters\u2019 roll. These include the use of a one-time-pin (OTP) verification and the submission of a scan or photograph of the voter\u2019s ID document.
\n\u201cThe online registration complements other existing registration options including ongoing voter registration at all local IEC offices and various outreach initiatives including at schools, tertiary education institutions and the general voter registration weekends ahead of elections,\u201d the IEC said.
\nMeanwhile, the Electoral Commission rescheduled its planned voter registration weekend to 31 July – 1 August due to the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.
\nAll 23 151 voting stations are expected to open between 8am and 5pm over that weekend to help voters register and check their registration details in person.
\nDue to the 24\/7 nature of online registration, the facility will also allow voters to register and update their registration details up to the last possible moment ahead of proclamation.
\nProclamation has the effect of sealing the voters\u2019 roll for purposes of an impending election.
\nEligible voters can register in just a few easy steps:
\n\u2022\tGo to https:\/\/registertovote.elections.org.za
\n\u2022\tClick \u201cRegister to Vote Now\u201d
\n\u2022\tEnter your personal details
\n\u2022\tEnter the One-Time Pin sent to your cellphone
\n\u2022\tSearch for your address, or if you are at home, use the current location on your device
\n\u2022\tTake a photo of your ID OR submit a scan of your ID
\n\u2022\tYou will receive an SMS within 24 hours confirming your successful registration.
\nUsers who created profiles on \u201cClick, Check, Confirm\u201d platform can use the same login details to access the system.
\n\u201cThe online voter registration application was developed using a Progressive Web Application platform, which means it can be used on any device with a browser and it uses less data than most mobile apps because it does not need to be downloaded.
\n\u201cIt allows the system to identify and take advantage of specific features on a device. For example, if a camera is detected, the system will suggest the user take a photo of the ID document,\u201d the IEC said.
\nAll South African citizens aged 16 years and older in possession of an SA ID (smartcard ID or green barcoded ID book) are permitted to register as voters. Only registered voters aged 18 or older on election day may vote.
\n\u201cYou must register in a voting district in a ward in which you ordinarily reside and voters are reminded that it is an offence to provide false information or to knowingly register in the ward.
\n\u201cIn local government elections, voters may only vote in the voting district in which they are registered. There is no latitude to vote at any other voting station. This is due to the geographic element of local government election where wards are a basis of the electoral contest,\u201d the IEC said.
\nAgents at the IEC Contact Centre can assist voters with the online facility. The Contact Centre is open weekdays from 8am to 5pm on 0800 11 8000 in all languages. <\/p>\n
Source: South African Government News Agency<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"