Some residents in Polokwane, Limpopo, say they still need clarification on how to use the third regional ballot papers in the upcoming general elections.
The regional ballot was introduced following the amendment of the Electoral Act.
The Act allows independent candidates to participate for the first time in the national and provincial elections.
Some people are still confused about the regional ballot.
Limpopo IEC Manager, Itumeleng Seanego has clarified the third regional ballot paper and why it has been introduced in the upcoming elections.
“For the national elections, only one ballot was used for the 400 total number of seats in the National Assembly and with the one ballot that was used; in essence, that one ballot was counted twice, because in the total of 400 seats in the National Assembly, those 400 seats are actually divided into two tiers. The first tier of 200 is for the compensatory seats, and the second tier is for the regional seats. So, that one ballot was counted for both tiers in the National Assembly for the total of 400 seats,” explains Seanego.
“Now it meant that with the participation of independents now allowed, that could no longer be the case. Because you will recall that independent candidates can only contest the regional ballot; in other words, the second 200 of the regional seats and not the compensatory seats. So, with that in mind, the one ballot for the National Assembly now had to be split into two, which means that because independents do not participate for the compensatory seats, if one was to vote for an independent, (they) would need to do so directly, because this independence, and now contesting only the regional seats that is the second tier out of the total of 400.”
2024 Elections | Polokwane residents respond to addition of third ballot for 29 May polls
