IEC says there's no evidence suggesting e-voting will compromise integrity of electoral process

JOHANNESBURG - The Electoral Commission (IEC) says there is no evidence to suggest that electronic voting would be to the detriment of voters in rural areas and communities struggling with connectivity.

The commission wants to introduce e-voting in future elections, which it believes would make voting much easier for voters on election day.

Public consultations are currently being held across the country, asking voters whether they would like to vote electronically.

IEC officials addressed questions about electronic voting during a media briefing in Centurion on Tuesday.

While the IEC’s public consultations on electronic voting are still ongoing, officials say voters have so far expressed mixed views on whether e-voting should be introduced.

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) argues that the IEC is not ready for a digital voting system, warning it could compromise both easy access to voting and the integrity of the electoral process.

However, IEC deputy chief electoral officer, Masego Sheburi, said there was currently no evidence to suggest this would happen.

"We don't have evidence to suggest that persons who are in rural settings are less inclined to got for e-voting than people in urban centres. However, people are worried about the controls that we put in place to ensure that whatever type of e-voting does not accentuate cleavages of inequality in society."

He said e-voting would take place in controlled environments rather than from the comfort of voters' home.