Pretoria – The Human Sciences Research Council is expected to brief the media on Wednesday morning, to release its preliminary findings of the elections satisfaction survey (ESS).
The briefing comes amid the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) working around the clock, since last night, to audit, verify, and release figures.
Acting strategic leader and research director at the HSRC Dr Benjamin Roberts is expected to outline detailed facts about the survey.
The purpose of the ESS, which has been commissioned by the IEC, aimed at collating data on the opinions and perceptions of voters, as well as election observers, on voting day.
This provides for a voter turnout in the 2016 local government elections of 57.94%, which compares favourably with voter turnout in previous municipal elections, as demonstrated below.
In 2016, during the local government elections, the survey conducted by the HSRC had, at the time, made the following findings:
– An overwhelming majority of voters in the 2016 Local Government Elections (91%) felt that the election procedures were free, with a further 4% saying they were free with only minor problems. A mere 2% suggested that the elections were not free.
– A majority (95%) of voters expressed satisfaction with the secrecy of their vote (64% very satisfied; 31% fairly satisfied), with only 1% voicing any form of discontent. Compared to the 2009, 2011, and 2014 elections
– Of general voting experience, almost three quarters (72%) of all voters said that they waited less than 15 minutes to vote, with the HSRC saying this signified an improvement from 2014. HSRC said 1% of voters had reported waiting more than two hours in queues, a move that was a significant reduction from 2014.
Meanwhile, it remains to be seen how this year's voter turnout will pan out.
Voter turnout in the 2016 municipal elections stood at 57.94%.
It remains to be seen if this number will improve amid parties lamenting a low voter turnout on election day on Monday.
Political Bureau