South Africa

Why is the IEC exploring e-voting — and will it be implemented in SA?

13 Mar 2025

Physical voting in South Africa faces many issues like big ballot papers, long waiting times at polling stations and low voter turnout. In a bid to explore electronic voting’s potential, the IEC hosted a three-day conference to kickstart a national discussion on its feasibility and possible implementation for the country’s future elections.

In the 2024 general elections, voter turnout was at around 58%, with millions of registered voters not participating. This low turnout over the years, among other factors, has led South Africa to explore the idea of electronic voting (e-voting).

At a conference in Cape Town, experts and neighbouring countries shared their experiences. We look at what it would mean for SA.

Why does e-voting matter?

E-voting has the potential to change how we participate in democracy, making voting more accessible and efficient. However, experts have warned that e-voting, like any voting system, has limitations and should not be viewed as a silver bullet for South Africa’s unique challenges and needs.

What are the pros and cons of e-voting?

The pros and cons of e-voting differ between countries, influenced by issues such as cybersecurity concerns, voter trust and system reliability. However, Dr Simangele Dlamini, a senior research specialist at the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC), was cautiously optimistic about the potential for e-voting in South Africa.

Dlamini said e-voting could provide fast and seamless ballot tabulation, leading to quicker election results. Additionally, it could reduce the number of unintentionally spoilt ballots due to the clarity of electronic interfaces.

While South Africa has historically grappled with low voter turnout in all its elections, Dlamini said it could be a solution in this regard, particularly among young people who often find paper-based voting tedious and time-consuming.

What could e-voting look like in SA?

Several options are being explored for e-voting in South Africa. One possibility is the use of e-voting machines (EVMs) at physical polling stations, where voters would select candidates via touchscreens or buttons, replacing traditional paper ballots.

This system could also enable real-time results, allowing votes to be counted instantly and securely transmitted to the central election tallying system. This would reduce delays in reporting results as has been the case in several parts of the country during elections.

The HSRC’s Odilile Ayodele recommended that the commission introduce EVMs gradually, while also incorporating internet-based voting over time. This approach, the council believes, would ensure that no voter is excluded and help address the digital divide.

Another option being considered is online voting for remote voters, where citizens could vote through secure online platforms. Voters would log in using a unique identification method, such as a smart ID or voter registration number, with the system designed to prioritise privacy and security.

Read more: Would electronic voting make SA’s elections easier?

Does e-voting work in other countries?

Referring to a global review of e-voting implementation, Dlamini pointed out both successes and challenges. Both Brazil and India have implemented e-voting across large geographical areas on a large scale. Estonia led the way in internet voting.

However, other countries faced issues: the DRC struggled with voter trust, Ireland encountered legal challenges, the Netherlands dealt with cybersecurity concerns and Germany faced reliability issues with its systems.

Namibia, the first African country to use e-voting in 2014, has generally had a smooth experience. It has used a combination of e-voting and paper ballots in multiple elections, but following the contested 2019 presidential and parliamentary elections, Namibia’s Supreme Court ruled that e-votes must have a verifiable paper trail.

Zenia Klazen, director of operations at the Electoral Commission of Namibia, told conference delegates that voting took less than 30 seconds on average, and there were no problems with the machines, even in rural areas.

Meanwhile, Dieudonné Tshiyoyo, chief of staff of the National Independent Electoral Commission of Democratic Republic of Congo, where electronic devices are used for voting at polling stations, said it was working, although high costs were a disadvantage. Despite this, he argued that the benefits of e-voting far outweighed the challenges.

Will South Africa have e-voting?

The shortest answer is, not soon. At the end of the conference, the IEC’s Masego Sheburi told delegates, “The commission has not made a decision to use e-voting, in any case it is not for the commission to make such a policy decision with far-reaching implications of how citizens experience voting and their democracy.”

Sheburi stressed the importance of engaging with the ongoing process without shutting down room for dialogue. He urged everyone to participate in the discussions as they unfolded, adding that while it was natural to disagree, it was crucial to listen to what technology had to offer.

Cost of e-voting in South Africa?

Chief Director of the National Treasury’s Public Finance Division, Gillian Wilson, said ICT expenses were the IEC’s fifth-highest cost. If e-voting were introduced, it would become a major cost driver. While Wilson was unsure if it would lead to cost savings, she warned that it would significantly increase expenses.

Despite this, Wilson commended the IEC for being “very disciplined” with the budget. Ultimately, the task of compiling the funding model lies with the IEC.

Her presentation showed that the costs of national and provincial elections had increased by 294% from 1994 to 2024, and the baseline for local elections had increased by 193% from 2001 to 2021. Factors including inflation, campaign expenses and logistics contributed to the rising election costs in South Africa.

Can South Africa do it?

The IEC is widely regarded as a trusted and respected institution, both locally and globally. Wilson said for electronic voting to be implemented, institutional strength was required. She argued that the IEC was well capacitated.

“I have full confidence that if any organisation or entity can make this work, it is the IEC,” she said.

Meanwhile, the commission said if the country ultimately adopted e-voting, the system had to be inclusive, helping to close the gap between the rich and poor, and between the literate and illiterate. It should support people with disabilities, be secure from outside interference, and most importantly, build trust among the public.

A HSRC survey of voters in the 2024 elections found that 29% of those polled indicated strong support for replacing paper ballots with EVMs at polling stations. Another 22% gave it a more moderate green light. The HSRC admitted, however, there was “quite a lot of scepticism”.

Read more: Voters ‘overwhelmingly’ found 2024 polls to be free and fair — HSRC survey

What now?

Following the three-day conference, Sheburi said the commission would carefully record all the submissions and feedback received. Over the next six months, there will be in-depth discussions with key stakeholders. The process of making submissions (by anyone interested) has not closed and is open to the public on the IEC’s website.

Once that phase is complete, Sheburi said the documents would be reviewed internally and a more refined document would be created. This document would outline the country’s key considerations for e-voting and present potential solutions.

It would then be distributed to those in charge of making policy decisions. Should they approve, the proposal will be taken to Parliament for further consideration. DM

Categories:

South Africa

Tags:

DM is much better if you are signed in...