The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), South Africa’s electoral body, has taken voter registration to WhatsApp, the country’s most widely used messaging platform, in a bid to attract more young people to local elections.
Launched on Tuesday ahead of Friday’s registration deadline, the service reflects a simple premise: that bringing voter registration to platforms young people already use could attract more of them to the democratic process.
The strategy appears to be gaining traction. Nearly half a million voter registration transactions during the IEC’s final registration drive came from people aged 16 to 29, while 46% of all new registrations were by voters under 29. The figures suggest digital platforms may be lowering barriers to registration. The bigger question, however, is whether making registration easier can also overcome the political disengagement that has defined past local elections.
The IEC introduced WhatsApp registration this week, allowing eligible citizens to register or update their voting details through a service that uses OTP authentication, ID document uploads, address verification and voting station confirmation. Sy Mamabolo, IEC Chief Electoral Officer, said the commission chose WhatsApp because it is already part of many South Africans’ daily lives.
Originally published by TechCabal.