This year’s special vote at home will be conducted between 09H00 and 17H00 on Monday, 6 May 2019 and 7 May 2019.

The Electoral Commission has opened its doors and online portal to voters who want to cast special votes in the upcoming national elections on 8 May 2019.

“The window period for applications by voters to cast special votes in South Africa’s upcoming national and provincial elections opens today and closes on 18 April 2019,” said the IEC.

There are two categories of special votes cast in South Africa, the first of which is the special vote cast during home visits. These are only available to voters who are unable to reach a voting station.

Two types of special vote

A voter may apply to be visited at an address outside of his or her voting district where they are registered due to physical infirmity, disability or pregnancy.

This year’s special vote at home will be conducted between 09H00 and 17H00 on Monday, 6 May 2019 and 7 May 2019.

The second type of special vote is cast at a voting station. This type of special vote is available to any voter who is unable to cast their ballot on voting day.

Elections 2019: How to apply for a special vote

Voters who apply for special votes at a voting station will be able to cast their vote at the voting station where they are registered between 09H00 and 17H00 on Monday, 6 May and Tuesday, 7 May 2019.

Applications for special votes in a home visit can be made:

• By submitting an application online via a secure portal. at https://www.elections.org.za/IECOnline/Special-Vote-Session
• By submitting a completed VEC 1 form at the local office of the IEC in an area a voter intends to be visited. Forms can only be hand-delivered (no emails or faxes accepted). These forms can be delivered by a third party on behalf of the voter. VEC 1 forms are available for download at https://www.elections.org.za/IECOnline/About-Special-Vote.

Applications for special votes cast at a voter’s voting station can be made by:

• SMSing your ID number to 32249 (R1.00 per SMS).
• Submitting an application online via a secure portal. at https://www.elections.org.za/IECOnline/Special-Vote-Session
• Submitting a completed VEC 1 form at your local IEC office. Forms can only be hand-delivered (no emails or faxes accepted). VEC 1 forms are available for download at https://www.elections.org.za/IECOnline/About-Special-Vote.

All applicants for both types of special votes will receive an SMS notifying them of the outcome of their application once it has been processed. Voters can also check the status of their special vote application online at https://www.elections.org.za/IECOnline/Check-My-Special-Vote-Application-Status.

Applications for special votes to be cast by South African voters abroad closed on 13 March 2019.

Originally published by SAnews.gov.za.

(Source: The South African)