Online voter registration launches in South Africa
The Electoral Commission has launched an online voter registration facility allowing new voters to register and existing voters to update or amend their registration digitally.
The online voter registration facility follows the implementation of a range of other digital service channels over the past five years including candidate nominations, special vote applications and party funding declarations.
The system will utilise a number of security checks to ensure the integrity of the voters’ roll. These include the use of a One-Time-Pin (OTP) verification and the submission of a scan or photograph of the voter’s ID document.
It is a crucial part of the Electoral Commission’s plans to boost voter registration despite Covid-19 ahead of the Local Government Elections scheduled for 27 October this year.
A planned voter registration weekend at physical voting stations is also set for 31 July to 1 August. All 23,151 voting stations are expected to open between 08h00 and 17h00 over that weekend to help voters register and check their registration details in person.
The commission said it hopes to provide a facility where voters can register, check and update their registration details without having to visit an IEC office or a voting station.
Eligible voters can register using the following steps:
- Go to https://registertovote.elections.org.za
- Click “Register to Vote Now”
- Enter your personal details
- Enter the One-Time Pin sent to your cellphone
- Search for your address, or if you are at home, use the current location on your device
- Take a photo of your ID OR submit a scan of your ID
- You will receive an SMS within 24 hours confirming your successful registration.
- Users who created profiles on the existing “Click, Check, Confirm” platform can use the same login details to access the system.
The online voter registration application was developed using a Progressive Web Application platform which means it can be used on any device with a browser and it uses less data than most mobile apps because it doesn’t need to be downloaded.
It allows the system to identify and take advantage of specific features on a device. For example, if a camera is detected, the system will suggest the user take a photo of the ID document.
All South African citizens aged 16 years and older in possession of an SA ID (smartcard ID or green barcoded ID book) are permitted to register as voters. Only registered voters aged 18 or older on election day may vote.
Voters can only register in the ward in which they ordinarily reside.
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