Midrand:The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) has highlighted the importance of assisting visually impaired voters with Universal Ballot Templates (UBTs) during elections, especially in voting stations where candidate numbers differ from the standard template setup.
According to South African Government News Agency, IEC Deputy Chief Electoral Officer Masego Sheburi addressed the media at the Results Operations Centre at Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand. Sheburi stated that all voting stations are equipped with single-column and double-column UBTs to accommodate various ballot paper layouts, enabling visually impaired voters proficient in Braille to identify and mark their ballots independently.
Sheburi noted that a potential variation exists at some stations using double-column ballot papers with fewer than 80 candidates. The standard double-column UBT accommodates up to 80 candidates, split equally between two columns. If there are fewer candidates, the numbering shifts, affecting the template's layout.
The IEC has urged Presiding Officers and Deputy Presiding Officers to understand the ballot paper configuration at their stations and assist visually impaired voters by explaining where each column begins and ends. This guidance aims to ensure that visually impaired voters can effectively use the templates and exercise their democratic rights with ease.