“The law assumes that they will be voting at the diplomatic mission of registration,” said the Electoral Commission on Monday, 26 February 2024.

Addressing a media briefing in Pretoria, the Commission’s Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Sy Mamabolo, said those registered elsewhere, including locally registered voters who intend to vote at a particular diplomatic mission outside the country, must give notice to the CEO of their intention to vote in that country.

“The notice to vote out of the country may be submitted as of today until 22 April 2024. An online notification facility is available on the commission’s website,” Mamabolo said.

He further explained that special voting at the diplomatic missions would happen either on Friday, 17 May 2024, or Saturday, 18 May 2024.

“The exact date for each diplomatic mission will be determined considering the host country's dominant religious and cultural practices.”

On voting outside of the voting station of registration on Election Day (29 May 2024), the commission re-emphasises the general principle of election administration that voters must vote where they are registered.

“However, in the event a voter intends to be in a different voting district on voting day, such a voter must notify the commission of their intended absence from their voting district and the voting station where they wish to cast the vote. A notification portal will soon be launched for this purpose. Notifications in this regard will close on 17 May 2024.”

Source: SAnews.gov.za