- The Electoral Commission has announced a voter registration weekend on 13-14 May for the municipal ward by-elections scheduled on 28 June 2023, across the Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, and the Western Cape provinces.
- Voters can check and update their registration details at local municipal Electoral Commission offices or online. Special voting applications can be made from 12 June to 15 June either in-person, online or via SMS.
- The Commission has eased COVID-19 restrictions: voters are no longer required to wear masks or sanitise their hands at voting stations, though they can choose to do so at their discretion.
The Electoral Commission has announced a voter registration weekend for the upcoming municipal ward by-elections scheduled for 28 June 2023. Registration will be held across the provinces of Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, and the Western Cape.
Voting stations in the identified wards will be open on Saturday, 13 May, and Sunday, 14 May, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. This will allow eligible voters to register, as well as allow current voters to verify their registration details and provide or update their residential address details.
Voters are required to bring their ID documents, which could be a green barcoded ID book, a smartcard ID, or a valid Temporary ID Certificate. Additionally, they will need to provide their physical home address on registration, though documented proof of address such as a municipal account is not required.
The Electoral Commission also offers the option for voters to check and update their details at local municipal Electoral Commission offices during office hours on weekdays.
The Commission has warned that registering and voting in a ward in which one is not ordinarily resident is a criminal offence.
The by-elections are slated to be held in ten wards across the four provinces. These wards became vacant due to various reasons, such as councillor resignations and termination of councillor memberships from their respective parties.
Special voting will take place on 27 June 2023 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Applications for special votes can be made at local IEC offices from 12 June to 15 June, or online through the IEC website. Voters can also apply for special votes via SMS by sending their identity number to 32249.
The Commission has further stated that voters are no longer required to wear masks or face coverings within a voting station, nor are they required to sanitise their hands on entry. However, voters may continue to do so at their discretion.
More information regarding the by-elections can be obtained from local municipal IEC offices or from the IEC’s website under the “Contact Us” section.
These by-elections will be an important measure of public sentiment in the run-up to the general elections, as well as being a vital component of maintaining democratic processes at the local government level.
