A WEB

The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC SA) is going all out to engage young South Africans in democratic processes ahead of the country’s 2024 General Elections. 

The youth generation in South Africa is booming, with more than a third of the 60-million population aged 15 to 29. At the same time, as is the case in many maturing democracies, young people vote less frequently, and stand as candidates less often. 

On February 20, 2023, with more than a year to go to the 2024 General Elections, the IEC SA launched a national online voter registration campaign to encourage young citizens aged 16 years and older to visit its Voter Portal to register to vote in all future elections. 

The Your Vote is Your Voice campaign aimed to reach local youth on digital, social and traditional media, like television and radio. It encouraged them to go to the website at https://registertovote.elections.org.za to register – it’s safe, quick and easy!

The campaign forms part of a year-long campaign by the IEC SA to encourage and help eligible South Africans to register to vote and update their voters’ roll addresses online.

On March 7, 2023 the IEC SA also launched a national civic and democracy education campaign aimed at young citizens in tertiary education institutions at Rhodes University in the Eastern Cape province.

The objective of the campaign, to be rolled out to tertiary institutions countrywide, is to:

• Educate youth citizens at tertiary institutions about their civic and democratic rights and responsibilities; 
• Engage students’ views about electoral democracy and impact of participation thereof through debate;
• Empower the student electorate with information to participate meaningfully in democratic and electoral processes;
• Promote online voter registration to students.

IEC SA Vice-Chairperson Ms Janet Love explained why the IEC SA launched its youth voter education campaign to students during South Africa’s Human Rights Month. “As we celebrate Human Rights Month, the Electoral Commission encourages our young citizens and first-time voters to take the future into your hands.”

“One of the most powerful and meaningful ways to do so is to vote. Voting is a first step – and a necessary step – towards building the South Africa of your dreams. A few clicks on your phone or computer and you’ll join the national voters’ roll,” said Vice-Chairperson Love. 

For more information on these campaigns, visit www.elections.org.za.