{"id":249171,"date":"2018-06-04T08:39:38","date_gmt":"2018-06-04T06:39:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/?p=249171"},"modified":"2018-06-04T08:39:38","modified_gmt":"2018-06-04T06:39:38","slug":"new-bill-proposes-changes-for-south-africans-voting-overseas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/government\/249171\/new-bill-proposes-changes-for-south-africans-voting-overseas\/","title":{"rendered":"New bill proposes changes for South Africans voting overseas"},"content":{"rendered":"

With South Africa entering into the 2019 national elections campaign season in earnest, there has been a flurry of new legislation introduced and passed as parliament prepares for an extended mid-year break.<\/p>\n

One of these proposed bills is set to be introduced by DA MP Michael Waters, who announced on Friday (1 June), that he was planning to submit a private member’s bill introducing a number of changes for South Africans who vote overseas.<\/p>\n

This follows a push by the DA to increase the number of overseas voting stations in areas where a significant number of South Africans live, who are registered to vote.<\/p>\n

Based on research conducted<\/a><\/strong> by the DA abroad – using census data from foreign countries to identify the distribution of the South African diaspora around – there is a strong need for additional voting stations in at least the following cities:<\/p>\n

\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
City<\/th>\nCountry<\/th>\nEstimated South African population<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
Miami, Florida<\/td>\nUSA<\/td>\n10 000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Austin, Texas<\/td>\nUSA<\/td>\n9 000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Vancouver<\/td>\nCanada<\/td>\n6 000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Brisbane<\/td>\nAustralia<\/td>\n40 133<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Perth<\/td>\nAustralia<\/td>\n41 008<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Sydney<\/td>\nAustralia<\/td>\n43 059<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Melbourne<\/td>\nAustralia<\/td>\n27 188<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Auckland<\/td>\nNew Zealand<\/td>\n30 612<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Edinburgh<\/td>\nUnited Kingdom<\/td>\n10 607<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Newcastle<\/td>\nUnited Kingdom<\/td>\n3 000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Manchester\/Liverpool<\/td>\nUnited Kingdom<\/td>\n13 000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Bristol<\/td>\nUnited Kingdom<\/td>\n24 000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

In addition to increasing the number of stations, the\u00a0draft\u00a0Electoral Amendment Bill<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0proposes that these overseas voting stations are not limited to consulates, embassies or high commissions, allowing for more remote voters to be able to cast their ballot without travelling great distances.<\/p>\n

The draft bill also proposes that:<\/p>\n