Guidelines for Voting in the 2006 Local Elections

The Municipal Elections will take place on 1 March 2006 from 7am to 7pm.

Who may vote?

Every South African citizen who is 18 years or older and who has registered may vote on 1 March 2006. If you have not registered, you cannot vote in these elections.

Where do I vote?

You must vote in the same voting district where you are registered.

To check whether you are registered:

To check where you can vote:

What do I need to vote?

You will need your green bar-coded ID book.

Local Councils with Wards

Large municipalities are divided into wards. People in local councils with wards will have three votes in the 2006 municipal elections to ensure that they are represented at every level in their local government:

• 1 vote for a Ward Candidate: This vote is for a person, the ward candidate, who can be an independent or a party candidate.
• 1 vote for your Local Council: This vote is for a party. The more votes a party gets, the more representatives it will have on the Local Council.
• 1 vote for your District Council: This vote is for a party who will represent you on the District Council. District Councils manage a district which consists of several Local Councils.

Metropolitan Councils

There are six metropolitan areas in South Africa - City of Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni, Tshwane, Ethekwini, Nelson Mandela and City of Cape Town. These areas are run by Metropolitan Councils. Metropolitan Councils consist of ward councillors and party representatives.

If you live in one of these metropolitan areas, you will have two votes in the 2006 Municipal Elections, one vote for a ward candidate and one vote for a party:

• 1 vote for a Ward Candidate: This vote is for a person, the ward candidate, who can be an independent or a party candidate.
• 1 vote for a Party: This vote is for a party who will represent you on the Metropolitan Council. The more votes a party gets, the more representatives it will have on the Metropolitan Council.

For more information contact:

Independent Electoral Commission
Tel: 0800 11 8000
Website: www.elections.org.za