Americans in SA get set to vote
2008-10-09 12:47
Johannesburg - As the excitement around the United States presidential vote reaches a climax, American citizens in South Africa are equally busy at work preparing to set up temporary polling stations at various shopping centres across the country, Democrats Abroad-South Africa said on Thursday.
"There is intense interest in this election, not just from US citizens but from South Africans who have bought into Barak Obama's message of change and his slogan, 'You can do it'," said Democrats Abroad-South Africa chairperson Courtney Priester.
Priester advised American citizens to visit their local US Consulates if they have not received their ballot papers by October 15.
"This is a tremendously exciting and important election. The historical importance of it will reverberate across the ages. The global financial crisis in the US and its impact on world markets is a powerful indicator of the need for change, not just in the US but across the world," he said.
There are about 20 000 American citizens living in South Africa and those who failed to register for their absentee ballots before October 14 will be left out.
Voting in the US will begin on November 4 with Obama up against Republican candidate John McCain.
- SAPA