Elections 2019: IEC registers record voters' roll since 1994

The International Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) has released the figures of registered voters who are eligible to participate in this year's general elections.

IEC dishes out important statistics ahead of elections As the days wind down towards Wednesday, 8 May the day South Africa decides which party it wants in government the electoral commission is wrapping up the administrative part of its preparations.

Read EFF may be sanctioned by IEC for tearing down ANC posters

How many political parties are contesting in the elections? 48 political parties have been confirmed by the IEC, all of which, have been on the ground, rallying up support and making grandiose promises.

How many South Africans are registered on the voters' roll? More importantly, however, is the historical voter turnout that is expected after the electoral commission revealed that we have not seen this many eligible voters since the dawn of democracy in 1994.

26 756 898 million voters are eligible to cast their votes in the 8 May national and provincial elections following the certification of the voters' roll, the commission said in a statement.

Read Cyril Ramaphosa talks load shedding, blasts Western Cape government

That is right, folks. about 47% of the country's population has been registered on the voter's roll.

Since its inception ahead of the 1999 national and provincial elections, the voters' roll has shown steady growth of over 47% and contains the highest number of registered voters to date, recording an increase of 1 366 748 voters since 2014, the electoral commission added.

Females dominate voters' roll Remarkably, 55% of the registered voters are females, and the average age range of the voter is between 30 39 years old.

Gauteng, Kwa-Zulu Natal and the Eastern Cape, as history would suggest, are key areas of contention, since they pack the most voters in the country.

Read How many overseas voters will take part, and where they're voting from

Growth of voters' roll over the years Here is a look at how the voters' roll has steadily increased over the years.

National and Provincial Elections Registered voters

1999 18.17 million

2004 20.67 million

2009 23.18 million

2014 25.39 million

2019 26.74 million

The electoral commission has reminded voters to take their ID document or smartcard to their designated voting stations on election day.

Tags: 2019 South African ElectionsElections and VotingIECSouth Africa

LINK:	https://www.thesouthafrican.com/elections-2019-iec-registers-record-vo...
	See more stories from thesouthafrican

Most recent headlines