Electoral Commission says voter registration campaign well on track

The Electoral Commission of South Africa says almost 220 000 eligible citizens have heeded the call to visit the Voter Portal and register online to vote since the launch of a national campaign.

This is in preparation for the 2024 National and Provincial elections.

South Africans aged 16 years and older, who have a South African identity document (ID), smart ID card, or valid temporary ID, are encouraged to use the Electoral Commission’s Voter Portal to register to vote for all future elections by visiting the site.

The intensive two-week online voter registration campaign, themed Your Vote Is Your Voice, continues to feature on digital and traditional media until 3 March 2023. The campaign forms part of a year-long drive by the Commission to encourage and facilitate eligible South Africans to register to vote.

According to the Commission, this campaign is aimed particularly at the unregistered youth, so that they can vote in all future elections.

“This crucial campaign is designed to educate eligible South African citizens about the importance of voter registration so that they can vote, and the ease with which they can do so online,” said Sy Mamabolo, Chief Electoral Officer of the Electoral Commission.

Mamabolo said one of the commission’s objectives is to get the 14 million South Africans who are eligible to vote but not registered, particularly those between the ages of 15 and 29, to register and vote in the upcoming 2024 general elections.

“We urge all eligible citizens to take advantage of this online facility and take the first step towards electing public representatives of their choice. Your vote is your voice,” he said.