The Electoral Commission is pleased to announce the dates for its second and final voter registration weekend for the 2019 national and provincial elections.
There are currently 26.1 million registered voters on the national common voters’ roll and the hope is that at least another million will be added.
All South Africa citizens aged 16 and older in possession of an official ID document can register as voters (although only those who are at least 18 years old on voting day may vote).
Voters should take a copy of their bar-coded ID book, smart card ID or temporary ID certificate when they go to register in the voting district in which they ordinarily reside.
When registering, voters will need to provide their address or a description of where they live to allow the Electoral Commission to place them on the correct segment of the voters’ roll. However, documentation or proof of address is not required.
A registration weekend is also being planned for voters living abroad at South Africa’s 120 High Commissions, embassies and consulates (dates to be announced).
The President recently indicated his intention to proclaim elections before the end of May next year but is expected to announce the exact date sometime in the future.
In terms of the Constitution, the term of the current National Assembly and provincial legislatures ends on 6 May 2019 and elections must be held within 90 days thereafter.
This means the elections must be held between 7 May and 5 August 2019.
