The right to vote is engraved in modern human society. Every couple of years, people in different countries cast votes for their preferred leader. And since it’s so common and well-known, many people aren’t familiar with the technicalities of voting, especially new voters.
While you can start voting for leaders in South Africa once you reach 18 years old, turning 18 doesn’t automatically give you the ability to vote. Many people don’t know that you need to register before voting.
Even if South African national elections are a few years away, it’s best to register early so you don’t have to worry about it later. And in this article, we’re explaining the exact process of registering as a new voter in South Africa.
Read on to learn more.
South African New Voter Registration – Your Step by Step Guide
The voter registration system makes it easy for people to register to vote. And in South Africa, all you have to do to register as a new voter is follow these steps;
1. Qualify
There are certain qualifications that you need to meet before registering. These include being at least 16 years old, being a South African citizen, and having a green, bar-coded ID book, smartcard ID, or valid Temporary Identity Certificate (TIC). In South Africa, you can register as a voter as young as 16 years old, but you have to be 18 to cast your first vote.
2. Prepare the Documents
Before registering as a new voter, it’s best to prepare the documents beforehand. You need to have the following documents before heading to your IEC office:
- green, bar-coded ID book;
- smartcard ID; or
- valid Temporary Identity Certificate (TIC)
3. Head to Your Local IEC Office
Once you have everything you need, you must head to the local IEC office. From there, you can ask officials there to hel[p you out and guide you through the process. All you have to do is fill up a form, have your identity book scanned, and have barcode stickers pasted on your green book or a valid temporary identity certificate.
4. Confirm Your Registration
After registering, you need to make sure to confirm your registration. To do this, you can text your ID number to this number: 32810. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app and enter certain ID details. If these options aren’t available to you, you can also head to your local IEC office and make an inquiry.
Online Voter Registration: The New Alternative
While there’s nothing wrong with going through the traditional route, there’s a new way to register as a South African voter, which is perfect for new voters. This is because you can now accomplish the process online.
This is a quick and convenient way to do it since you won’t have to head to the physical office. All you have to do is head to this website and click the “register as a new voter” option. From there, you can follow the prompts and steps on the website. After that, you’ll receive a one-time pin that you need to enter.
If successful, you’ll receive an SMS within 24 hours. If you don’t receive a message, then the registration wasn’t successful. For those who can’t register online for whatever reason, you can always go to the local IEC since the process isn’t that complicated.
Your Voice Matters: Register to Vote Today
It’s incredibly important to register as a voter. And in South Africa, you can do it as early as 16 years old, which gives you a lot of time to head to your local IEC or go to the website before your first time voting.
South African elections are a couple of years away, but it’s best to prepare early. That way, when it comes time to choose your new leaders, you don’t have to worry about registration and can focus your energy on researching candidates, their platform, and casting your vote on election day.