The Electoral Commission (IEC) says it believes that the upcoming public dialogue on electronic voting is an opportunity for South Africans to shape the future of voting in the digital world.
The commission is expected to hold a three-day seminar in Cape Town next week on the prospect of electronic voting in the country’s elections.
The e-voting conference comes ahead of the local government elections late next year or early 2027.
Representatives of the blind community and academics are among those expected to attend the seminar.
The IEC’s Chief Electoral Officer Sy Mamabolo says, “It is important to indicate that this seminar will be launching a discussion document on electronic voting, nor decision has yet been made to implement electronic voting, yet we find it necessary to have a national conversation about the subject.”
Mamabolo says, “The discussion document that will be launched, will include some of the following components, the country review of electronic voting including those countries using voting station-based technologies as well as those who are using internet voting. We think this is a significant opportunity for South Africans to shape the future of voting in the digital world.”
