Applications for special votes open

ZULULANDERS applying for special votes in this year’s national and provincial elections will be able to do so from today (Monday) until Thursday 17 April.

Applications can be done at Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) offices situated at local municipalities throughout Zululand between 9am and 5pm.

Special votes cater for among others police officers or other officials who are working on Election Day, those who are out of the country, pregnant women who are unable to vote on 7 May and those who are sick and unable to visit a voting station.

These votes will be cast on Monday, 5 May and Tuesday 6 May and comprise two categories – home visits and special voting at registered voting stations.

On 5 and 6 May, election officials will visit voters who have successfully applied for a home visit owing to physical infirmity, disability or pregnancy.

Any voters who will be absent from the voting district where they are registered on Election Day may also apply to cast their vote early. This voting will take place at the respective voting station where the person is registered on 5 and 6 May between 9am and 5pm.

‘Applications for both categories must be made by completing a VEC 1 form and must be submitted by hand to the local IEC office in the municipality responsible for the voting district where the special vote is to be cast,’ said uThungulu IEC Regional Supervisor Thule Dlamini.

Forms

The forms are available on www.elections.org.za or at local offices of the IEC.

‘The forms will not be accepted at national or provincial offices and cannot be faxed, emailed or posted. Special vote applicants may use a proxy to deliver the VEC 1 form to the local IEC office in the municipality where they intend to vote, but the form itself must be signed by the voter themselves,’ said Dlamini.

Unlike previous national and provincial elections, applications for special votes will no longer be accepted at voting stations on special voting days. Only voters whose pre-approved applications submitted during the window period of 7 to 17 April will be able to cast a special vote.

‘Having submitted the VEC 1 application form, voters will be informed of the outcome of their application via SMS or email,’ said Dlamini.

They can also check their status on www.elections.org.za.

A list of local IEC office addresses is also available on the IEC website or voters can call 0800 11 8000.