More than 20-million people have registered for the April election, an increase of 14,7% in the number of registrations since 1999, the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) announced on Tuesday.
Chief electoral officer Advocate Pansy Tlakula said the roll stood at 20 674 926 voters who are entitled to participate in this year’s election.
”More than four million voters will participate in their first national and provincial election on April 14 2004. Since the end of 1998 just over 1,5-million registered voters have died and the net gain compared to the 1999 voters roll thus comes to about 2,5-million voters,” she said, adding that because non-South African citizens participated in the 1994 election, a voters’ roll was not compiled with which to compare figures.
The IEC said the Western Cape shows the greatest increase in the number of registered voters since 1999 — 19,1% — but that Gauteng still has the highest number of registered voters with 4 650 594 people registered.
Tlakula said the roll shows that 17% of all eligible voters are between the ages of 18 and 25, and 44% are younger than 35.
”Women also outnumbered men in the registration figures with 54,8% being of the fairer sex,” she said.
Tlakula also highlighted that there were more voters in towns — 13 340 662 or 64,5% — than in rural areas, where the total is 7 334 304 or 35,5%.
”And already 647 eligible voters have notified the chief electoral officer of their intention to cast special votes,” she said.
Tlakula also reminded political parties that they have until 5pm on Friday to register their parties if they intended participating in the 2004 national and provincial elections. — Sapa