Electoral Laws Amendment Bill

The Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs encourages interested individuals and organizations to submit written comments on the Electoral Laws Amendment Bill [B 22 -2020].

Comments must be submitted to Mr Eddy Mathonsi, the Committee Secretary at [email protected]  by no later than 6 November 2020. The original deadline was 30 October 2020.

In addition to written submissions, kindly indicate if you would like to make oral submissions.

Background: The Electoral Laws Amendment Bill (‘‘the Bill’’) seeks to amend three pieces of legislation, namely the Electoral Commission Act, 1996; the Electoral Act, 1998 and the Local Government: Municipal Electoral Act, 2000.

The purpose of the Bill seeks to amend the:

• Electoral Commission Act, 1996, so as to insert certain definitions; to streamline the provisions for the registration of political parties; to provide for the registration of parties in respect of particular provinces, district and metropolitan municipalities and to repeal provisions relating to registration of parties in respect of particular local municipalities; to repeal obsolete provisions

• Electoral Act, 1998, so as to insert certain definitions; to amend the provisions

regarding public access to the voters’ roll; to update references to repealed legislation; to amend

provisions allowing voters to vote in a voting district where they are not registered; to amend provisions relating to the submission of lists of candidates; to amend provisions relating to special votes in elections for the National Assembly; to authorise the Commission to prescribe a different voting method; to amend provisions relating to the procedure concerning provisional results and voting materials; to provide for the limited applicability of the Code; to amend Schedule 3; and

• Local Government: Municipal Electoral Act, 2000, so as to insert and delete certain definitions; to amend the requirements for parties contesting elections by way of party lists and for a ward candidate to contest elections; to authorise the Commission to prescribe a different voting procedure for those voters whose names appear on the voters’ roll, without addresses; to authorise the Commission to prescribe a different voting method; to amend provisions relating to the effect of certain irregularities, and to provide for matters connected therewith.

Enquiries: can be sent to Mr Mathonsi at [email protected] or Cell: 083 709 8523

Issued by Adv. BT Bongo, MP, Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs.