Some 23 000 centres will be activated for this weekend’s voter registration for the upcoming municipal elections.

For the first time the Electoral Commission will be using new Voter Management Devices on a large scale.

At least 40 000 of these devices which have online functionality have been procured.

According to the IEC the devices enable an almost instantaneous citizenship verification and correct capturing of a residential address. It is assisted by a mapping functionality.

The new devices replace the erstwhile ‘Zip-Zip’ machines which have played a part in elections for more than twenty years.

Voter registration stations will be open this Saturday and Sunday from 8am – 5pm.

Those who are not listed on the voters’ roll will not be able to participate in the November 1 elections.

[Picture: IEC]