Voters have until this Friday, 17 May, to submit to the IEC, a Notification in terms of Section 24A the Electoral Act, to vote at a different voting station.

In the past, during National and Provincial Elections and Municipal elections, you could arrive on Election Day at a different voting station to vote there.

Now, you need to notify the IEC in advance of your intention to do so for the upcoming National and Provincial Elections.

Voters will be turned away if they have not notified the IEC by Friday’s deadline.

Below are some frequently asked questions:

Q1: I am a student from Gauteng and I will be at Stellenbosch University on 29 May. Can I vote in the Western Cape?

A: Yes, but you will only be able to vote if you submit a Section 24A Notification, indicating the voting station where you want to vote. In this election, there are three different ballots- a National PR ballot, and a Regional Ballot for regional seats in Parliament, and also a Provincial ballot for the provincial legislature. But, you will only receive a National PR ballot if you are registered from outside of the province.

Q2: I am a truck driver and will be on the road on Election Day. How can I make sure that I get to vote?

A: The best would be to work out your route plan and notify to the IEC at which voting station you want to vote on 29 May, using the Section 24A Notification process. Go to www.elections.org.za

Q3: I am a student from KZN and am registered there. I would like to know if I am going to get all three ballots if I submit a Section 24A Notification to vote in the Western Cape.

A: If you are registered in another province and notify the IEC to vote in the Western Cape, you will only receive the National PR ballot because the National PR ballot is the only one that is the same for the whole country. This will also apply if you are registered in the Western Cape and notify the IEC that you want to vote at a voting station in Gauteng – you will only receive the National PR Ballot.

Q4: I am a registered voter from the Free State and am currently working in the Western Cape. Is the Section 24A Notification only available to certain professions or can anyone submit a notification to vote at the different voting station?

A: Anyone can submit such notification; it does not matter what your occupation is or whether you working or not. But anyone voting outside their province is only entitled to the National PR ballot.

Q5: I am worried my Section 24A Notification could be invalid. What would the reasons for it to be unsuccessful?

A: Criteria for a successful Section 24A Notification include being a registered voter of 18 years or older and that your notification is submitted no later than 17 May. It must also been filled out correctly, which includes identifying the voting station where you want to vote. The list of addresses of voting stations and voting district numbers can be accessed at: https://maps.elections.org.za/vsfinder/

You will receive a sms if your Notification is valid.

Q6: I am a caregiver away from my voting district and will not be able to go home on Election Day. How can I still vote?

A: You can submit a Section 24A Notification to vote at a voting station closest to where you are caregiving. If you are registered the Western Cape, you will receive all three ballots.

Q7: If I have submitted a Section 24A Notification and my circumstances have changed, can I still vote at my original voting station?

A: Yes, you can. But, the IEC will first check that you haven’t already voted elsewhere for the National and Provincial Elections 2024.

Q8. I want to vote at a different voting station which is not far from the voting station where I am registered to vote. Do I need to still submit a Section 24A Notification to the IEC?

A: Yes, you must, even if the different voting station is in the same suburb or same city/town or a different province.

Q9. If I submit my S24 Notification, can I choose to vote on 27 and 28 May as a special vote?

A: No. Section 24A Notification means that you vote on Election Day – 29 May.

Q10. I am going to vote at the voting station where I am registered. Do I still need to fill in any form or submit a Section 24A Notification?

A: If a voter is voting at the voting station where they are registered, they do not need to fill in any form as their name is on the Voters Roll at that voting station. You simply arrive with your green bar-coded ID Book, or Smart ID or Temporary Identity Certificate issued by the Department of Home Affairs. And you will receive a National PR ballot, a Regional Ballot and a Provincial ballot.

The salient points of Section 24A Notification are:

• If you intend casting a vote at a voting station where you are not registered and that different voting station is still within the province – you will receive all three ballots (National, Regional and Provincial).
• If you intend casting your vote at a voting station outside the province where you are registered, you will only receive the National ballot.
• You will need to ensure that the notification is correctly and completely filled in, as failure to do so will render your notification invalid.

Thus, you must indicate the name and address of the voting station where you want to vote – you cannot simply refer to a suburb or town. The list of addresses of voting stations and voting district numbers can be accessed at : https://maps.elections.org.za/vsfinder/

The Presiding Officer of that different voting station where you intend to vote will have a list of all the voters who have successfully notified the IEC that they are voting there.

You can notify the IEC by:

• Visiting www.elections.org.za  and using the online Section 24A Notifications portal; You cannot email your notification.
• Visiting your local IEC office in person, weekdays during office hours, and complete and submit the notification form. Section 24A Notification at IEC Offices closes at 5PM on 17 May 2024.

For voters who will be voting at the voting stations where they are registered, it’s also important to check at which voting station you are registered at, as sometimes the venue may have changed.

You can check as follows:

• SMS your ID number to 32810 (R1 per sms);
• Check online at www.elections.org.za;
• WhatsApp “Hi” to 0600 88 0000 and follow the prompts;
• Visit your local IEC office during office hours; or
• Call the IEC’s Call Centre during office hours on 0800 11 8000

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