For the upcoming local government elections, some South African voters will have to choose their preferred political parties from double-column ballot papers.
The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) attributes the new ballot configuration in some municipalities to the unusually high number of contestants expected to participate in the elections.
A total of 136,790 candidates are set to contest the upcoming elections, with 10,478 local council seats up for grabs. Most of the candidates are standing under the banners of political parties.
Deputy Chief Electoral Officer Masego Sheburi said the double-column ballot papers would be necessary in metropolitan municipalities where there is heightened competition.
“Unavoidably, in the majority of the metros, the parties will be set side by side on a double-column ballot paper. It is still a single-page ballot paper. The preference of the commission is to have the party in one column, but it is unavoidable given the number of contestants, at least in the big metros. So, the parties will be set in double columns on a single-page ballot paper,” said Sheburi.
He said the design of the ballot paper would vary from one municipality to another.
“And that will differ from municipality to municipality. It will differ from ward to ward. Where you have fewer candidates, obviously the size of the ballot will be smaller. Where you have the most contestants, as is the case in the City of Johannesburg, you will have a bigger ballot paper, but still on one page,” he said.
Despite the unusually high number of candidates, the IEC has undertaken to keep the voting process as simple as reasonably possible. Sheburi said thorough voter education would be conducted ahead of the elections.
“Our civic education transitions now to deal with balloting and voting education. And that is the message that we will now accentuate: What is it that people use to familiarise themselves with the layout of the ballot? What are the cues that voters can use to be able to identify with ease their candidates or party of choice and to make a mark for those candidates or parties of choice with confidence?” Sheburi said.