Today (Thursday) is the last day for registered voters who can’t visit their voting stations on Election Day – May 8, to apply to cast a special vote. Applications for special votes delivered to an IEC office close at five o’ clock this afternoon while voters who submit online or SMS applications have until midnight to apply.
Those who can apply for special votes include registered voters who will be away from their voting district on voting day or those who can’t go to a voting station due to physical infirmity, disability or pregnancy. Applicants who are successful will cast their special votes on May 6 and 7.
The IEC also agreed to extend the voting hours for South Africans voting abroad on April 27 to accommodate Jewish voters celebrating the Sabbath. Voters will now be able to vote from 7am to 11pm at the foreign missions in London, Tel Aviv, New York and Los Angeles.
The decision to extend the hours followed a request from the South African Jewish Board of Deputies. The Commission previously announced that it would allow Muslim voters to apply for special votes at voting stations on May 6 and May 7 should they choose to due to the anticipated start of the Holy month of Ramadan on voting day.
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