IEC warns of ballot reprinting costs if ConCourt rules in favour of ANC

The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) could face additional costs to reprint ballot papers ahead of the November 4 local government elections if the Constitutional Court rules in favour of the African National Congress (ANC) in its bid to reinstate 181 excluded candidates.

IEC deputy chief electoral officer Masego Sheburi said about two-thirds of the affected ballots had already been printed, leaving the commission with limited time to produce replacements if the court orders the candidates to be reinstated.

Speaking during a media briefing on Wednesday, Sheburi said the IEC had a 21-day window to print the ballots.

“We’ve indicated that 66% of ballots have already been printed because we have a finite window period of 21 days within which to print those ballots,” he said.

IEC prepares for possible ballot reprints

The ANC approached the Constitutional Court after the Electoral Court dismissed its appeal concerning the exclusion of 181 candidates across six municipalities.

The dispute centres on the party’s failure to complete the final submission of its candidate lists through the IEC’s online nomination system before the deadline.

Sheburi said the commission had contingency plans to implement any court order, including preparing for the financial implications of printing replacement ballots.

He explained that ballots already printed for the affected municipalities could not be reused if the court ordered the ANC candidates to be included.

“We’ve printed them; we must reprint new ballots to give effect to the court decision if the court finds in favour of the ANC,” Sheburi said.

The commission would therefore have to absorb the cost of the ballots already produced before printing replacements to comply with the ruling.

Other parties could also be affected

Sheburi cautioned that the potential costs and logistical challenges could extend beyond the ANC’s court application, as other political parties were also involved in similar disputes.

He said the wider implications needed to be considered when assessing the possible impact on the election process.

The Constitutional Court heard the ANC’s challenge on October 12 and reserved judgment.

The ruling will determine whether the 181 candidates can be reinstated, with the IEC facing a tight deadline to make any required changes before voters head to the polls on November 4.