Johannesburg - Just over 75 000 applications for special votes have been approved so far, the Electoral Commission of SA (IEC) said on Wednesday.
“The electoral commission reminds voters that the deadline for applications for special votes in this year’s national and provincial elections is tomorrow (Thursday),” the IEC said in a statement.
There were two categories of special votes - home visits and special voting at a registered voting station.
For a home visit election officials would visit voters who had successfully applied due to physical infirmity, disability, or pregnancy. These visits would be conducted on May 5 and 6.
Special voting at a registered voting station was for people who would not be in their voting district on election day. This voting would also take place on May 5 and 6 between 9am and 5pm.
The IEC said of the 75 000 special votes already approved, about 57 000 were for home visits and 17 500 for voting at voting stations.
Earlier, government urged those who still needed to register for a special vote to do so before the 5pm deadline on Thursday.
“Government encourages the elderly and people with disabilities to submit their applications for special votes by the 17th of April,” acting Government Communications and Information System CEO Harold Maloka said in a statement.
“All registered South African voters are urged to exercise their democratic right to vote on the prescribed days.”
Sapa