Electoral Commission on 2014 voter registration for South Africans living abroad
The Electoral Commission (IEC) and the Department of International Relations & Cooperation (DIRCO) hereby announce their collaboration to register South Africans living outside of the country as voters for the very first time. This follows the presidential assent to the Electoral Amendment Act No. 18 of 2013 and the publication of amendments to the Regulations on the Registration of Voters late last year.
In terms of the amended regulations, South Africans living outside of the country who wish to vote in next year’s national election are required to register in person either in South Africa or at one of South Africa’s 124 Embassies, High Commissions or Consulates-General located in 108 countries.
These South Africans need to be in possession of a valid South African identity document (either a green bar-coded South African ID book, a new smart-card ID or a valid temporary identity certificate) and a valid South African passport to register. South African citizens living outside of the country and who are already registered as voters in South Africa do not need to register again.
Applications for registration are open with immediate effect and take place during normal office hours of the various missions until Friday, 7 February 2014. A list of South African missions is available on https://www.dirco.gov.za/foreign/sa_abroad/index.htm. South Africans living abroad are urged to confirm the working hours of their nearest foreign mission before attempting to apply for registration to avoid disappointment.
Provision has also been made for two special registration weekends, on 18 and 19 January and 25 and 26 January 2014, to accommodate those South Africans living abroad who are unable to register at their nearest South African foreign mission during normal working hours.
Chapter 3 of the election regulations, dealing with special votes, has also been revised to accommodate voting by South African citizens abroad. It requires registered voters who will not be in South Africa on Election Day (including those who registered outside of the country) to notify the Chief Electoral Officer of the IEC of their intention to apply to cast their ballot at a South African diplomatic mission.
Notifications of intention to apply for a special vote are made online via the IEC’s website (www.elections.gov.za) using a VEC10 form which will only be available once the President of the Republic has proclaimed the election date. Online applications must be made with 15 days of the proclamation.
“The 2014 general election is a watershed for South Africa, as it marks the 20th anniversary of our democracy. The IEC takes great pride in enabling all South Africans to exercise their democratic right to vote, wherever they may be and we wish to thank the Department of International Relations & Cooperation for their assistance in enabling South Africans to exercise this right,” says Mosotho Moepya, Chief Electoral Officer of the IEC.
For media queries:
Kate Bapela
Cell: 082 600 6386
Clayson Monyela
DIRCO
Cell: 082 884 5974
For media interviews:
E-mail: spokesperson@elections.org.za
Fact Sheet: Registration and voting by South Africans outside of the country as per the Electoral Amendment Act 2013
How do I register abroad?
In order to vote in the elections you must be registered. If you are already registered on South Africa’s National Voters’ Roll you DO NOT have to re-register. (Check your registration status online at www.elections.org.za)
If you are not already registered:
- You will need to register at your nearest South African Embassy, High Commission or Consulate-General (See https://www.dirco.gov.za/foreign/sa_abroad/index.htm for a list)
- Bring both a valid green bar-coded South African ID book, smart-card ID or temporary identity certificate AND your valid South African passport
When should I register?
Registration is available during dates that coincide with registration dates in South Africa. For the forthcoming elections, this means until 7 February 2014 during office hours of your local South African Embassy, High Commission or Consulate-General. For office hours please contact your relevant Embassy, High Commission or Consulate-General.
Provision has also been made for two special registration weekends, on 18 and 19 January and 25 and 26 January 2014, to accommodate those South Africans living abroad who are unable to register at their nearest South African foreign mission during normal working hours.
How do I apply to vote abroad?
Once you have registered (either in South Africa or abroad) you must then complete an online VEC10 form available on www.elections.org.za. This form notifies the IEC of your intention to vote abroad and indicates at which Embassy, High Commission or Consulate-General you will vote.
The form will only be available once the election date has been proclaimed and must be completed within 15 days from the proclamation date. Voters will receive confirmation of receipt of the VEC10 form and approval to vote abroad via SMS or email.
How do I vote abroad?
The receipt that informs you whether you qualify to vote (which you will receive only following the submission of your online VEC10 form) will indicate the South African Embassy, High Commission or Consulate-General where voting will take place and the date on which voting will take place (usually a week before the election day in South Africa).
You must take your valid green, bar-coded South African ID book, smart-card ID or temporary identity certificate and your valid South African passport with you to the diplomatic mission to vote.
For voting times, please check the website of the relevant Embassy, High Commission or Consulate-General.
Can I vote before I leave South Africa?
If you are going to be abroad on Election Day and would like to vote in South Africa before Election Day, you may be able to apply for a special vote at your local IEC office. To read more about special votes visit www.elections.org.za and/or to find your nearest IEC office.
For more info, find the Electoral Commission (IEC) at:
www.elections.org.za
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Twitter: @IECSouthAfrica
