Voters have until 5pm on Friday to apply for special votes in the upcoming local government elections. “Special votes are available to all registered voters including disabled‚ infirm and pregnant voters as well as members of the security forces‚ election officials‚ the media and any other voters who are unable to visit their voting station on election day‚ August 3‚ 2016‚” Electoral Commission of SA (IEC) spokesperson Kate Bapela said. Bapela explained that a special vote is not an “automatic right”‚ but needs to be applied for. Special votes applications opened on June 10 and Bapela said the IEC would not be extending the deadline beyond Friday.She explained that special votes com in two forms.Home visits see election officials visit voters who are disabled‚ infirm or pregnant at their place of residence to allow them to cast their ballots‚ Bapela said‚ while “special voting voting station is available to registered voters who are unable to vote on August 3.To date the IEC has received more than 285 000 applications for special votes‚ of which approximately 30% are for home visits.“Special votes may only be cast by voters who have applied for and received approval from the Electoral Commission to cast a special vote‚” said Bapela.For the first time‚ applications for special votes were available online via the Electoral Commission’s website www.elections.org.za and via cellphone by SMSing the voter’s ID number to 32249.The SMS application facility was only available for those applying to cast a special vote at their voting station.Bapela said more than half of all applications to date have been received via SMS or online‚ while “the traditional method of applying for a special vote at local IEC offices by submitting a MEC35 form” was also still available. ..