An estimated 2.9 million South Africans interacted with the electoral commission (IEC) during the Voter Registration Weekend of 18 – 19 November 2023, according to Chief Electoral Officer Sy Mamabolo.
Mamabolo was speaking during a press conference of the IEC on Monday, following the registration process for the upcoming 2024 National and Provincial Elections.
He said that the majority of voters – 2.7 million – visited voting stations to register, as well as update their details while a total of 196 511 voters used the online portal to do the same.
“The total registration activity over the two days was 2 904 037. Eligible citizens registering for the first time were 568 374. This accounts for 19.57% percent of total registration activity. Voters who re-registered in the same voting district numbered 1.4 million, and those who re-registered in different voting districts were 929 564,” Mamabolo told the media.
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According to the IEC officer, young people aged between 16 and 29 account for 78.31% of new voters, with young women dominating that count.
“[The] Commission’s continued focus on young persons is producing a good yield. The Commission will persist with efforts to improve the registration levels of the youth.
“The well entrenched trend of there being more females on the voters’ roll continues. Of the new registrations, 298 500, or 52.52%, were female,” he said.
South Africa’s voters’ roll now has some 26.8 million registered voters, up from 26.3 million before the weekend.
The IEC urged persons who manage frail-care facilities and similar institutions to make contact with the Electoral Commission to arrange visits for purposes of registering voters in those institutions.
Similarly, persons who are confined at home may also have applications to be made for them to be visited and registered.
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