Human and Social Studies Public Policy, Politics and Democratic Citizenship

Design Electoral Processes Training

SAQA US 119624 | NQF 7 | Credits 12 | Duration 9 Days
From $1,798 per delegate

Description

This course equips learners with the knowledge and skills to design, review, and improve electoral processes in line with South African legislative frameworks. Learners will understand the principles of democratic elections, stakeholder engagement, and process documentation to ensure credible and transparent electoral outcomes.

Learning Outcomes

  • Design electoral processes that comply with relevant legislation and democratic principles.
  • Analyze the roles and responsibilities of stakeholders in electoral processes.
  • Evaluate the effectiveness of existing electoral processes and recommend improvements.
  • Apply risk management strategies to ensure the integrity and security of elections.
  • Demonstrate the ability to document electoral procedures and guidelines clearly.
  • Implement quality assurance measures to monitor the electoral process.

Target Audience

This course is designed for electoral officers, political party representatives, election observers, and professionals involved in planning or managing electoral processes at local, provincial, or national levels.

Prerequisites

None — open enrollment.

Course Outline

Day 1: Introduction to Electoral Processes and Democratic Principles

Objectives:
• Understand the role of electoral processes in a democratic society
• Identify key principles of free and fair elections
• Recognise the legal and regulatory framework governing elections in South Africa
• Overview of the electoral cycle and its phases

Topics:
• Democracy and elections: concepts and values
• Electoral integrity and trust
• SA Electoral Act and related legislation
• The electoral cycle: pre-election, election day, post-election
• Role of electoral management bodies (EMBs)

Day 2: Electoral Systems and Their Design

Objectives:
• Differentiate between major electoral systems (FPTP, PR, MMP, etc.)
• Analyse the impact of electoral systems on representation
• Evaluate system design choices for different contexts
• Understand the South African electoral system (list PR)

Topics:
• Majoritarian vs proportional systems
• Mixed-member systems
• District magnitude and ballot structure
• Thresholds and seat allocation formulas
• Case study: South Africa's closed-list PR system

Day 3: Voter Registration and Voter Education

Objectives:
• Describe voter registration processes and challenges
• Design effective voter education campaigns
• Address barriers to voter participation
• Ensure inclusivity for marginalised groups

Topics:
• Registration systems: periodic vs continuous
• Data management and voter rolls
• Voter education strategies
• Reaching youth, women, and persons with disabilities
• Combating disinformation and voter apathy

Day 4: Candidate and Party Nomination Processes

Objectives:
• Outline legal requirements for candidate eligibility
• Understand party nomination procedures and internal democracy
• Analyse the role of political parties in electoral processes
• Ensure transparency and fairness in candidate selection

Topics:
• Candidate eligibility criteria
• Party registration and compliance
• Nomination procedures and deadlines
• Gender quotas and representation
• Code of conduct for candidates and parties

Day 5: Election Logistics and Operations

Objectives:
• Plan and manage election logistics (polling stations, materials, staff)
• Implement secure ballot printing and distribution
• Coordinate domestic and international observers
• Manage election security and risk mitigation

Topics:
• Polling station layout and accessibility
• Ballot paper design and security features
• Staff recruitment and training
• Observer accreditation and code of conduct
• Emergency contingency planning

Day 6: Voting Operations and Accessibility

Objectives:
• Describe voting procedures on election day
• Ensure accessibility for all voters
• Manage special voting (postal, mobile, early voting)
• Address challenges such as long queues and voter intimidation

Topics:
• Polling station procedures
• Assistive devices for persons with disabilities
• Special voting arrangements
• Queue management and voter flow
• Incident reporting and resolution

Day 7: Vote Counting, Results Management, and Transparency

Objectives:
• Explain counting procedures and result collation
• Implement result transmission and verification systems
• Ensure transparency through stakeholder engagement
• Handle disputes and recounts effectively

Topics:
• Counting process at polling stations
• Results transmission (electronic and manual)
• Verification and audit trails
• Role of party agents and observers
• Dispute resolution mechanisms

Day 8: Electoral Dispute Resolution and Compliance

Objectives:
• Identify common electoral disputes and their sources
• Understand legal frameworks for dispute resolution
• Manage complaints and appeals processes
• Ensure compliance with electoral laws and codes of conduct

Topics:
• Types of electoral disputes
• Electoral courts and tribunals
• Complaints handling procedures
• Sanctions for violations
• Post-election audits and lessons learned

Day 9: Electoral Reform, Continuous Improvement, and Integration

Objectives:
• Evaluate electoral processes for reform opportunities
• Design continuous improvement mechanisms
• Integrate all components into a coherent electoral framework
• Develop a personal action plan for applying learning

Topics:
• Review of electoral cycle management
• Stakeholder feedback and evaluation
• Reform proposals and feasibility
• Technology and innovation in elections
• Capstone exercise: designing an electoral process

Practicals

No practicals for this training.

This course is made up of exercises and case studies delivered alongside the theory — no separate practical sessions are required to complete it.

Summatives

Each delegate is assessed continuously throughout the course and a final summative test at the end.

Daily Exercises — 30%

Every training day ends with a multiple-choice exercise scored out of 100%. The scores from each daily exercise are averaged across the duration of the course to produce a Daily Average mark, which contributes 30% to the final total.

Final Test — 70%

On the last day a final summative test is written. It is a multiple-choice paper with multiple-answer questions: each question may have more than one correct option, and a single wrong selection on a question marks the entire question wrong — no partial credit. The final test is scored out of 100% and contributes 70% to the overall mark.

Final Total
Component Out of Weight
Daily Average (multiple choice) 100% 30%
Final Test (multi-answer multiple choice) 100% 70%
Final Total 100%

All marks are recorded on the AATICD LMS and visible to each learner under their account.

Certificate

Certificate of Completion

Awarded to delegates who achieve an overall mark of 50% or higher on the Final Total (Daily Average 30% + Final Test 70%).

How it works
  • Certificates are auto-generated on the AATICD LMS as soon as the marks pass the 50% threshold.
  • Each certificate is a branded PDF with the delegate's name, the course title, the unit standard ID, NQF level, credits, and the date of issue.
  • You can download or print your certificate from your LMS dashboard at any time after issue — there's no reissue fee and no expiry date.
  • If you scored under 50% you can sit the final test again at the next scheduled session at no extra cost.
Where to find it

Sign in to the LMS, open your dashboard, and your certificates appear under My Certificates. Each entry has a View / Download button and a print option.

Training Discounts

Group discounts apply automatically — the more delegates you enrol, the greater the saving. Discounts are calculated at 3% per 5 delegates, scaling up to 40% off for 100+ delegates.

Delegates Discount
5 3% off
10 6% off
15 9% off
20 12% off
25 15% off
30 18% off
50 30% off
75 35% off
100 40% off

3% discount per 5 delegates, up to 40% off for 100+ delegates. Contact us for a custom group quote.

Upcoming Training Sessions
Online training — attend live sessions from anywhere via our virtual classroom.
Start End Delivery Season Price Action
Tue 08 Sep 2026 Fri 18 Sep 2026 Virtual Spring 2026 $1,798 Register
Mon 28 Sep 2026 Thu 08 Oct 2026 Virtual Spring 2026 $1,798 Register
Fri 23 Oct 2026 Wed 04 Nov 2026 Virtual Spring 2026 $1,798 Register
Fri 11 Dec 2026 Wed 23 Dec 2026 Virtual Summer 2026 $1,798 Register
Thu 14 Jan 2027 Tue 26 Jan 2027 Virtual Summer 2026 $1,798 Register
Wed 17 Feb 2027 Mon 01 Mar 2027 Virtual Summer 2026 $1,798 Register
Tue 02 Mar 2027 Fri 12 Mar 2027 Virtual Autumn 2027 $1,798 Register
Mon 08 Mar 2027 Thu 18 Mar 2027 Virtual Autumn 2027 $1,798 Register
Fri 19 Mar 2027 Wed 31 Mar 2027 Virtual Autumn 2027 $1,798 Register
Thu 10 Jun 2027 Tue 22 Jun 2027 Virtual Winter 2027 $1,798 Register
Wed 30 Jun 2027 Mon 12 Jul 2027 Virtual Winter 2027 $1,798 Register
Tue 20 Jul 2027 Fri 30 Jul 2027 Virtual Winter 2027 $1,798 Register
Mon 06 Sep 2027 Thu 16 Sep 2027 Virtual Spring 2027 $1,798 Register
Fri 01 Oct 2027 Wed 13 Oct 2027 Virtual Spring 2027 $1,798 Register
Thu 21 Oct 2027 Tue 02 Nov 2027 Virtual Spring 2027 $1,798 Register
Fri 10 Dec 2027 Wed 22 Dec 2027 Virtual Summer 2027 $1,798 Register
Thu 30 Dec 2027 Tue 11 Jan 2028 Virtual Summer 2027 $1,798 Register
Wed 19 Jan 2028 Mon 31 Jan 2028 Virtual Summer 2027 $1,798 Register
On-Campus training — face-to-face sessions at our training venues across Africa and beyond.
Showing all 492 sessions across 26 venues
Start End Venue Season Price Action
Mon 10 Aug 2026 Thu 20 Aug 2026 Cape Town, South Africa Winter 2026 $4,455 Register
Tue 11 Aug 2026 Fri 21 Aug 2026 Dubai, UAE Winter 2026 $6,615 Register
Wed 12 Aug 2026 Mon 24 Aug 2026 Pretoria, South Africa Winter 2026 $2,700 Register
Thu 13 Aug 2026 Tue 25 Aug 2026 Abu Dhabi, UAE Winter 2026 $6,615 Register
Fri 14 Aug 2026 Wed 26 Aug 2026 Durban, South Africa Winter 2026 $4,293 Register
In-House training — we bring the trainer to your organisation, tailored to your team.
Start End Delivery Season Price Action
Wed 16 Sep 2026 Mon 28 Sep 2026 Your Premises Spring 2026 $2,338 Register
Tue 06 Oct 2026 Fri 16 Oct 2026 Your Premises Spring 2026 $2,338 Register
Mon 26 Oct 2026 Thu 05 Nov 2026 Your Premises Spring 2026 $2,338 Register
Mon 14 Dec 2026 Thu 24 Dec 2026 Your Premises Summer 2026 $2,338 Register
Fri 22 Jan 2027 Wed 03 Feb 2027 Your Premises Summer 2026 $2,338 Register
Thu 25 Feb 2027 Tue 09 Mar 2027 Your Premises Summer 2026 $2,338 Register
Wed 10 Mar 2027 Mon 22 Mar 2027 Your Premises Autumn 2027 $2,338 Register
Tue 16 Mar 2027 Fri 26 Mar 2027 Your Premises Autumn 2027 $2,338 Register
Mon 22 Mar 2027 Thu 01 Apr 2027 Your Premises Autumn 2027 $2,338 Register
Fri 18 Jun 2027 Wed 30 Jun 2027 Your Premises Winter 2027 $2,338 Register
Thu 08 Jul 2027 Tue 20 Jul 2027 Your Premises Winter 2027 $2,338 Register
Wed 28 Jul 2027 Mon 09 Aug 2027 Your Premises Winter 2027 $2,338 Register
Tue 14 Sep 2027 Fri 24 Sep 2027 Your Premises Spring 2027 $2,338 Register
Mon 04 Oct 2027 Thu 14 Oct 2027 Your Premises Spring 2027 $2,338 Register
Fri 29 Oct 2027 Wed 10 Nov 2027 Your Premises Spring 2027 $2,338 Register
Mon 13 Dec 2027 Thu 23 Dec 2027 Your Premises Summer 2027 $2,338 Register
Fri 07 Jan 2028 Wed 19 Jan 2028 Your Premises Summer 2027 $2,338 Register
Thu 27 Jan 2028 Tue 08 Feb 2028 Your Premises Summer 2027 $2,338 Register
Training Discounts
Delegates Discount
5 3% off
10 6% off
15 9% off
20 12% off
25 15% off
30 18% off
50 30% off
75 35% off
100 40% off

3% off per 5 delegates, up to 40% for 100+

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