Caesar stresses the correlation between low voter turnout and HIV/AIDS related issues. Voters too ill to cast a vote or people pre-occupied HIV/AIDS related demands are often disenfranchised (Chirambo & Caesar “Emerging Theories and Perspectives” Aids and Governance, v 1(1), march 2003).
In the IDASA report it is acknowledged that the “special vote” is a very useful institutional arrangement to ensure, as far as possible, that people are not disenfranchised by being ill, disabled or pregnant. 
The mere fact that it exists and was delivered to more than 650 000 voters in the last election is a powerful indication of the commitment of the South African authorities to making democratic participation through the vote as inclusive as possible.
However there is a need to categorically state to the public whether people suffering from debilitating or chronic illnesses qualify for this facility. The report finds for instance that some People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) who might wish to have access to the special vote lack sufficient information on whether they are eligible or not.
This is likely to have implications for participation by people who are infected by diseases such as HIV/AIDS that are accompanied by stigma and discrimination (HIV/AIDS and Democratic Governance in South Africa - Illustrating the Impact on Electoral Processes, 2004: 17).
Next: Stigma and discrimination
