The voter’s register

A voters register shall show, in respect of all persons included in the register-

• the serial numbers, in numerical order if so prescribed;
• if so prescribed, the surnames in alphabetical order, and immediately thereafter, other names, and if the surnames are identical, the other names in alphabetical order;
• residential address;
• photograph of the voter;
• any other particulars that may be prescribed.

(1)     Where an Inkhundla is divided up into polling divisions, a voters register for that Inkhundla shall be compiled and printed so as to show−

• the serial numbers and names of voters in each polling division in the manner referred to in section 22 [Registration Act]; and
• in which polling division each voter is, subject to this Act, required to vote.

(2)     A separate voters register may be compiled for each polling division or, where a polling division has more than one polling station, for two or more polling stations in each polling division.

(1)        A registration officer shall prepare and maintain, for each Inkhundla, a supplementary voters register, which shall exist as a separate voters register.

(2)     The supplementary voters register shall contain, in alphabetical order the names of all voters registered since the last general registration of voters.

(3)     A supplementary voters register shall be incorporated into the National Voters Register during the compilation of the National Voters Register.

(1)     The Commission shall, after completion of the general registration of voters contemplated in section 12 [Registration Act], and the preparation of Tinkhundla voter registers by registration officers, compile a National Voters Register.

(2)     The Commission may prescribe cut-off dates in respect of the compilation of the National Voters Register, including the date by which−

• any person who wants to be included in the voters register must have applied for registration as a voter in terms of section 13 [Registration Act] or for the change of registration details in terms of section 20[Registration Act];
• any objections in terms of section 18 [Registration Act] shall be made; and
• the Commission shall complete the compilation of the National Voters Register.

(3)     The National Voters Register shall be compiled by merging all the Inkhundla voter registers and shall be in a form prescribed by the Commission.

(4)     During the compilation of the National Voters Register, the Commission shall cause the several Tinkhundla voters registers to be compared for the purpose of ensuring that no person is registered in more than one Inkhundla.

(5)     If, after due enquiry, the Commission is satisfied that a person is registered more than once in the same Inkhundla or in more than one Inkhundla, the Commission shall remove the name of the person from every register in which the name should not appear.

(6)     The Commission shall, upon completion of the compilation of the National Voters Register, cause to be transmitted to every registration officer, a copy of the part of that register relating to the Inkhundla for which the officer is responsible and the officer shall keep the copy in safe custody.

(7)     The original of the National Voters Register shall be kept at the offices of the Commission.

At the end of every voters register, the registration officer responsible for the compilation of the voter’s register shall certify in the prescribed form that the voter’s register has been checked and is correct.

(1)  A registration officer shall, if satisfied as to the relevant facts, amend the voters register for any Inkhundla in the area for which the officer has been appointed, by−

• correcting any mistake, supplying any omission, or recording any change in the particulars of the registration of any person;
• after ascertaining that a person has ceased to be a resident in the Inkhundla in which the person is registered, transfer, subject to section 18(1)(b), the name of the person whose residence has changed to the supplementary voters register of the Inkhundla to which the person has moved;
• removing a person’s name from the voters register in the case of a person who has left Swaziland with the intention of not returning to Swaziland;
• removing the name of any person who, according to a return under sections 38 to 41 is dead or disqualified for continuance of registration;
• restoring the name of any person referred to in paragraph (c) who has ceased to be disqualified;
• removing any superfluous entry where the name of the same person appears more than once in the voters register for more than one Inkhundla;
• removing the name of any person who is not a citizen of Swaziland or who is under the age of eighteen years, or who would otherwise not be qualified to be registered, should the person complete an application for registration on the date of the removal;
• removing the name of any person in respect of whom an objection has been lodged under section 18 and which has been upheld; or
• adding the name of any person which was wrongly omitted in the course of any registration of voters.

(2)     A registration officer shall not amend the voters register in terms of subsection (1) from nomination day until polling day, both days inclusive.

(3)     Notwithstanding subsection (2), where a registration officer is satisfied−

• that the name of a person has inadvertently been omitted or removed from a voters register; or
• that the name of a person has been inserted in the voters register for an Inkhundla other than that in which it should have been inserted and in which the person is entitled to be registered,

the registration officer shall make the proper amendment to the voters register in relation to the omissions or removal or incorrect insertion, at any time up to four o’clock in the afternoon on the day seven days before polling day.

(4)     Before removing from, or restoring to, or adding the name of any person to the voters register, the registration officer shall by any practicable means, first be satisfied that the name relates to the person concerned.

(5)     Where a registration officer removes a name from a voter’s register which is not the name of a fictitious person or of a person who has died, the officer shall inform the person concerned by a notice in the approved Form No.4 directed to the address of that person as shown on the voters register.

(6)     If the registration officer has transferred the name of a voter to the voters register in respect of the Inkhundla to which the voter has moved, the registration officer shall inform the person concerned of the transfer by notice in the prescribed Form No.5 directed to the address to which the voter has moved.

A registration officer shall record in the voters’ register or on a person’s application any change in Inkhundla or polling division for which a person is registered as a voter or has applied for registration, if that person’s place of ordinary residence after a change in the boundaries of the Inkhundla or polling division falls in another Inkhundla or polling division.

When ever a registration officer makes a decision−

• to remove the name of any person from a voters register;
• to restore or add the name of any person to a voters register; or
• to correct any mistake or supply any omission in the register,

the officer shall make the requisite alteration in ink in the official copy of the voters register and, in the case of a removal, restoration or addition, shall clearly indicate the alteration and state the reason for the alteration opposite the name removed, restored or added.

(1)     A copy of the National Voters Register as it exists at any time shall be available for inspection during office hours at the Commission’s head office

(2)    A copy of the voters register for an Inkhundla shall be available for inspection during office hours at the Regional Administration Offices and the Sub-Regional offices of every Region where that Inkhundla or any portion of the Inkhundla is situated, and at the Umphakatsi (Chiefdom) for the area in which the Inkhundla is situated.

(3)     A person desiring to make copies of, or take extracts from a voters register may do so on payment of the prescribed fee.

(1)     The voters register as prepared and amended from time to time in accordance with this Act, shall be printed not later than one month before every direct election.

(2)    As soon as a voters register has been printed, any person may obtain a reasonable number of copies of that voters register on payment of a fee and subject to conditions as may be prescribed.