IEC launched online voter registration for ex-pats
South African citizens living and working abroad are able to register on the Independent Electoral Commission Voter’s Roll online or change their registration details from 24 October 2023.
South Africans abroad would have had to register in person at one of the South African foreign missions. This has proven challenging, despite the foreign missions holding at least one or two voter registration weekends in the previous two general elections. Many people simply live too far from their nearest SA High Commission, Embassy or Consulate-General.
HOW DOES OVERSEAS VOTING WORK?
South African citizens who are living or working abroad or may be abroad for any reason at the time of elections, can notify their intention to vote at a foreign mission. Overseas voters are required to have both a valid SA passport and ID book or smartcard. Following the proclamation whereby the president announces the date of elections, there will be a two-week window period during which overseas voters must submit a VEC10 form via the IEC website. Failure to submit the VEC10 form within the window period will render one unable to vote abroad.
Overseas votes are considered ‘special votes’ and as those abroad ordinarily do not reside in one of SA’s nine provinces, they are only issued with the national ballot paper. One must vote in person at one of the approximately 125 foreign missions, there is no online or postal voting system.
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DELAYS
Overseas voter registration was allegedly first meant to be made available online by late August 2023 but was postponed to 10 October 2023 and a further postponement to 24 October 2023 according to the Democratic Alliance Abroad.
DA ABROAD WELCOMES ONLINE OVERSEAS VOTER REGISTRATION
The change has been warmly welcomed by the DA’s international structure called the Democratic Alliance Abroad which was established more than 10 years ago and has actively supported overseas voters in the previous 2 general elections.
‘The more people who register overseas the better the chances are that voting stations will be made available there. So even if you live in cities where there is no SA foreign mission, like Perth, Vancouver or Christchurch, please make sure you register online. It is “Power to the Registered”!!’ – Ludré Stevens, Global Chairperson for the DA Abroad
The DA Abroad strongly encourages all South Africans living abroad who still love and hope to see a positive change in the country’s political leadership to Vote Home.