The Electoral Commission has thanked the thousands of South African voters from the Eastern Cape for their overwhelming response to the call to update the voters’ roll ahead of next year’s elections.
A total of 460 168 citizens visited their voting stations over the past weekend to either register as new voters or to update their registration, making this one of the busiest voter registration weekends in recent years.
Of the 460 168 voters who visited their voting stations this weekend:
- 262 275 used the opportunity to re-register in their current voting district;
- 126 056 used the opportunity to change their registration to a new voting district; and
- 71 437 were voters registering for the first time.
Of the new voter registrations, 59869 (or 84 percent) were under the age of 30 and approximately 52 percent were women.
The voters’ roll now stands at 3,322,927 voters, which is estimated to be approximately 87 percent of the eligible voting population based on Statistics South Africa voting age population estimates. With the results of the registration weekend factored, the Eastern Cape is the province with the highest level of registration at 87 per cent.
If you have missed the March registration weekend Registration is ongoing at local IEC offices, weekdays from 8h30am-5pm weekdays.There is an IEC office in every municipality in the province alternatively. Find your nearest office at http://www.elections.org.za/content/About-Us/Contact.
Registered voters who still want to check and update their voters roll address can do so online at www.elections.org.za/MyIEC and our App remain available 24 hours a day for registered voters to check and update their address details. The average duration spent online or on the app is just less than six minutes.
The Electoral Commission also thanked those who assisted in making the weekend such a success.
“Our thanks especially to:
- First and foremost the voters themselves for turning out in huge numbers to update the voters’ roll and ensure it can form the foundation for free and fair elections;
- Secondly to the political parties and their leaders and members who mobilized throughout the country in the lead-up to and on the weekend itself to encouraged all voters to get involved;
- To the media and civil society organizations, NGOs, faith-based organizations and traditional leaders and all other stakeholders which promoted and highlighted the campaign and provided key information to voters;
- Also our thanks to the over 14 052 voting station staff who ran the registration process efficiently and effectively;
- And finally our appreciation to the various state security and other government agencies which assisted in ensuring a safe and peaceful process.
The Electoral Commission believes that such a high turnout with more than a year until the next general elections bodes extremely well for participation in next year’s elections and the future of electoral democracy in our Province.”
