Pretoria – The Independent Electoral Commission says applications for special votes in this year’s national and provincial elections will open Monday.
Those who would like to apply for special votes can do so from 7 April until 17 April 2014 between 9am and 5pm at local IEC offices.
Special votes will be cast on Monday 5 May and Tuesday 6 May.
There are two categories of special votes, home visits and special voting at your registered voting station.
Election officials will visit voters who have successfully applied for a home visit due to physical infirmity, disability or pregnancy. These home visits will be conducted on 5 May and on 6 May 2014.
Any voters who will be absent from the voting district where they are registered on Election Day may apply to cast their vote early. This voting will take place at the voting stations where the voter is registered on 5 May and 6 May 2014 between 9am and 5pm.
Applications for both categories must be made by completing a VEC 1 form and must be submitted by hand to the local IEC office in the municipality responsible for the voting district where the special vote is to be cast.
The form is available on www.elections.org.za or at local offices of the IEC. The forms will not be accepted at national or provincial offices and cannot be faxed, emailed or posted.
The IEC said special vote applicants may use a proxy to deliver the VEC 1 form to the local IEC office in the municipality where they intend to vote but the form itself must be signed by the voter themselves.
Unlike previous national and provincial elections, applications for special votes will no longer be accepted at voting stations on special voting days. Only voters whose pre-approved applications submitted during the window period of 7 to 17 April 2014 will be able to cast a special vote.
Having submitted the VEC 1 application form, voters will be informed of the outcome of their application via SMS or email.
They can also check their status on the website (www.elections.org.za).
A list of local IEC offices addresses is available on the IEC website http://www.elections.org.za/content/About-Us/Contact-Us/ or voters can call 0800 11 8000. – SAnews.gov.za
