# DearSA campaign helps avert a potentially disruptive change in voting methods

- Link: https://dearsouthafrica.co.za/2020/12/04/dearsa-campaign-helps-avert-a-potentially-disruptive-change-in-voting-methods/
- Published: 2020-12-04T15:35:33+02:00
- Author: dearSA

### Thanks largely to a robust 󠀁[campaign](https://dearsouthafrica.co.za/elab/)󠁿 by participative democracy group DearSA, the government has decided to ditch two clauses in the Electoral Laws Amendment Bill – which would have allowed a change in voting methods.

![DearSA-electronic-vote](https://cdn.dearsouthafrica.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2020/
12/20190821/DearSA-electronic-vote.jpg "DearSA-electronic-vote")

[click to view the Electoral Laws Amendment Campaign report ](https://dearsouthafrica.co.za/elab/)

These clauses would have allowed a switch from the current paper ballots to electronic
voting – potentially sparking the kind of controversy and allegations of fraud now
surrounding the recent US Presidential election.

Cybersecurity experts and lawyers have warned of the potential for hacking such 
electronic systems, and many have cautioned against adopting systems prone to abuse
by malign actors.

On Wednesday, 2 December 2020, the Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs approved 
the Electoral Laws Amendment Bill and said will recommend to the National Assembly
to adopt it – but without the disputed clauses 14 and 21 which would have empowered
the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) to prescribe a different voting method.

“The committee agreed that voting method is a policy matter that cannot be left 
to the IEC alone to decide, even though the IEC had mentioned that the intention
was to only allow for testing of such alternatives,” says a [press release issued by Parliament](https://www.parliament.gov.za/press-releases/home-affairs-committee-adopts-electoral-laws-amendment-bill)
this week.

Parliament acknowledges the role played by DearSA in having these clauses removed
from the Bill. It notes the concerns raised by members of the public in the 12,305
submissions received.

The Electoral Laws Amendment Bill seeks to amend three pieces of legislation:
 ·
the Electoral Commission Act, 1996; · the Electoral Act, 1998; and, · the Local 
Government: Municipal Electoral Act, 2000.

These amendments were deemed necessary to prepare for the forthcoming general local
government elections in 2021.

DearSA director Rob Hutchinson says removal of the concerning clauses is as a direct
result of the work done by DearSA and the IRR – who brought attention to potentially
disruptive changes that could lead to future disputes in election outcomes.

“The last thing we want in SA is to have election results disputed, such as we are
currently seeing in the US. There are grave concerns over electronic voting methods”.

While all voting methods have potential for fraud and error, the view comments on
the DearSA platform around this campaign, is the existing paper ballot method is
the most reliable method we have, since it leaves a paper trail and auditing the
results is therefore easier.

“This is a great victory for participative democracy in SA, and we want to thank
the thousands of people who took the time to understand and comment on the proposed
changes to the law.”

[click to view the Electoral Laws Amendment Campaign report ](https://dearsouthafrica.co.za/elab/)