IEC Chief Electoral Officer Sy Mamabolo says one vote can make a huge difference to the outcome of the elections in a proportional representation system.
South Africans are heading for the 6th democratic national and provincial elections on Wednesday May 8.
In terms of the proportional representation system, a party requires 50 per cent plus one vote, to win a provincial or a national election.
If such a party only garners 50 per cent of the votes, it will have to enter into a partnership with other parties to form a coalition government.
Mamabolo elaborates, “In a proportional representation system every single vote counts. So, it is important that everyone of the 26.7 million registered South Africans go to a voting station and cast a ballot, because that one vote can make a determination whether party A or Party B wins an outright majority or not. So there is no lost vote in a proportional representation system. Every single one of the votes count. And it could in fact make a difference to the outcome of the elections.”