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Biometric Voter Registration and Voter Identification

Biometric Voter Registration and Voter Identification

ACE, March 19. 2014

This question was posed on behalf of PN member Amin S. Wasike Yusuf

My country introduced biometric voter registration (BVR) in 2012. In one of the stakeholders meetings at the field, I was challenged to explain whether voters would be allowed to vote even if they did not have identification documents. 

One stakeholder argued that the purpose of the ID is to identify a person, and if BVR could also do the same, then the commission should not turn away those voters who may have lost their IDs a few months or weeks before the general election. These stakeholders were reacting to a form of electoral malpractice, whereby voters are disenfranchised so as to make their preferred candidate lose. 

In my country, the electoral law says you must present identification documents before voting. This implies that without these documents, you will not be allowed to proceed to the other step where you are identified by the BVR machine. 

How is voter verification done in other countries conducting BVR? Are there similar ID requirements prior to BVR identification?

 

Summary of Responses

Practitioners’ Network members shared a range of views on the role of voter identification documents and the voter verification process in countries with biometric voter registration (BVR). 

In countries where BVR is in place, members generally agreed that identification documents (e.g. valid IDs, passports) are a major prerequisite for impartial, efficient and accountable elections, especially in newer democracies. For example, a member from Kenya suggested that hard copies of voter identification documents were critical when Kenya’s Electronic Voter Identification Devices (EVID) faced challenges in the March 4th 2013 General Elections. According to the member, in this instance voter identification documents made it easier for polling staff to verify voter details and allow people to vote using a printed manual register/ voters list.  Along with a few others, the member also suggested it is crucial to adhere to the legal framework in place governing voter identification, especially because this can help commissions and polling staff be more prepared in the event of a malfunction.

Another member, who regularly consults in elections and technology, also highlighted the importance of ensuring that technological failures do not disenfranchise voters, and a need for contingency mechanisms in case biometric systems malfunction, or if biometric characteristics typically used to identify or verify voters become unavailable (e.g. loss of finger). An example of such a mechanism is polling stations keeping paper copies of the voter list with photographs that the Presiding Officer can use to identify voters. Furthermore, the same member also urged members to understand the distinction between voter verification and voter identification. In the member’s words:

Biometric identification is where a voter offers a fingerprint (for example) and the device will look up all the biometric data it contains to see if there is a match (a 1:N match, where N is the number of records in the database). The question being asked is 'Who is this person". Biometric verification, on the other hand, asks the question "Is this person who they say they are?" - so, for example, the voter's ID number is entered, then a fingerprint, and the system matches the offered fingerprint against just one, a 1:1 match.

The member further suggested looking at Ghana or Brazil for international case comparisons.

Additionally, a few members stressed the importance of understanding the purpose of biometric systems when assessing the need for identification documents, and taking into account country-specific factors determining their use. For instance, a member from South Africa suggested that if voters in a country are equipped with 'smartcards' -- identification cards that biometrically prove they belong to their holders-- then other documentation is not necessary. Notwithstanding, the same member suggested that in many countries BVR systems rely on voter identification documents. Moreover, in cases where BVR has been introduced for the de-duplication of the register (and not for voter identification), identification documents have been critical for identifying voters.

Illustrating the latter scenario, a member shared the case of Cameroon, where biometrics were introduced mainly to curb multiple cases of registration. To do this, the system gathered both biometric and biographic data— collecting information from voters' biological details (e.g. fingerprints) and individuals’ national ID cards, respectively. With a biometric system in place, polling stations nevertheless required voters to present identification documents (voter cards and national ID cards) on Election Day, which were then crosschecked with information in the system.

Members also shared perspectives from the Philippines, Jamaica, Uganda, Bangladesh, Rwanda, Mali, Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zimbabwe, and Bhutan.   

 

Contributing Members:

  • Elaine Ginnold
  • Abdiwahidi Hussein
  • Boaventura Zita
  • Roger Thord-Gray
  • Adolphe N'soke
  • Ronan McDermott
  • Mbeng Njang Emmanuel
  • Vai Boina
  • Kisimba Lumbwe Albert
  • Francis Ameyibor
  • Abdul Alim
  • Ernesto R. del Rosario
  • Ochana Patrick
  • Errol Miller
  • Christine Ndayishimiye
  • Tetteh Ankama Okyne
  • Suhail HajHammad
  • Shipra Chowdhury
  • Amin S. Wasike Yusuf
  • Vincent de Paul Taty
  • Hadija Miiro
  • Francisco Barrera
  • Sadou Lady Bawa
  • Atem Oben Henry Ekpeni
  • Solomon Bobosibunu
  • Kunzang Wangdi

Re: Biometric Voter Registration and Voter Identification

Elaine Ginnold, March 19. 2014

There should be some recourse for voters who don't have their ID to present at the polls so that they aren't disenfranchised.  For example, in California and in the rest of the US, voters whose names aren't on the voter list or who can't show ID get a "provisional ballot".  This is a regular ballot that goes inside an envelope on which the voter writes his/her name, current address, birthdate, prior address. After election day, Election Office staff checks the voter's information on the envelope against the voter records.  The ballot is counted provided the  records show that voter is registered to vote in the county and has not already voted in the election.

Re: Biometric Voter Registration and Voter Identification

Abdiwahidi Hussein, March 19. 2014
  • Elections for me is about compliance with the law and ensuring there is fair play and uniform rules for all. Whereas, Administrative arrangements for the registration of voters and the conduct of elections shall be designed to facilitate, and shall not deny, an eligible citizen the right to vote or stand for election the need to comply with the electoral laws is actually the hallmark of enfranchisement of voters. 
  • It is my considered opinion that the requirement for voters with Bio-metric Voter Registration (BVR) to come with IDs (identification documents like valid IDs or passports ) is a major safeguard and a key pillar if elections are to be  administered in an impartial, neutral, efficient, accurate and accountable manner especially in developing/young democracies like Kenya and other developing countries. 
  • The law becomes our savior and the savior of voter and we gain more if we also comply and ensure compliance with the law in the conduct elections. I say this from my personal experience as Returning officer(RO)  in Kenya's (six -ballot in a day) General Election of March 4, 2013. I personally witnessed failure of the Electronic Voter Identification devices(EVID) which was based on BVR register. Of course such failures are sometimes inevitable despite meticulous planning. What saved the day was that voters had come with their identification documents(IDs) on the polling day which made it easy for the voters' details to be verified and allowed to vote using a printed manual register/ voters list. 
  • In deed despite, this was the day i really appreciated the need to have voters come with some identification otherwise the whole election would have been a total farce. Now imagine, if we had told voters that it is ok to just present themselves without IDs because we have a BVR system? many voters would have been disenfranchised and may be the election would be impossible to conduct. Of course the US's 'provisional ballot' is a good idea and innovative  but in the case of Kenya it is not yet anchored in law. 
  • Also, Elections are highly emotive and sometimes litigation arise out of the conduct of any election. In an election court among the key issues the court has to consider is whether those who voted were truly eligible to vote and proof that indeed such was the case. Also a key issue will be whether the conduct of the elections substantially conformed to the legal requirements and laid down ground rules/ procedures and international best practices. 
  • The bottom line is: follow the law even 'the law appears to be an ass'.If provisions are available in law to ensure BVR identification is enough without other identification documents then it must also of necessity include coping administrative and legal procedures for verifying the eligibility and authenticity of a voter in instances of failure(s) of the Electronic Bio-metric Voter registration identification system.
  • The BVR based elections in Kenya and also Ghana indeed are great lessons about how as EMB practitioners we should be prepared for the eventualities of technological hitches and failures during the election D-day and has if anything illustrated the importance of proper voter identification using IDs as prerequisite for guarding against double voting and other opportunistic malpractices that are bound to arise in the case of failures of BVR .
  • Thank you.   

Re: Biometric Voter Registration and Voter Identification

Boaventura Zita, March 20. 2014

BVR reflects recent development in ITs technologies but National Registration System must all have alternative system to replace this one when is out of order.

Common sense speaking a national who have lost his/her card may vote provided that he/she is accompanied by tow citizens that are registered at that Voting Station. On the other hand, member of Station should make effort to ensure that all citizens vote, resorting to alternative registration system

Re: Biometric Voter Registration and Voter Identification

Kunzang Wangdi, March 20. 2014

As long as his/her record is on the electoral roll and on verification by the biometric hand reader reads the valid data we should  not be insist   on its production.Otherwise what is the purpose of investing on biometric technology and software. our systems must be made voter friendly;y as much as possible.

Re: Biometric Voter Registration and Voter Identification

Roger Thord-Gray, March 20. 2014

This is a very interesting question .. and the answer depends on a number of factors. BVR can be implemented for a number of reasons. If biometrics are introduced  purely for deduplication of the register, and not for identification of the voter at the polling station - other forms of documentation are essential at the polling station.  If electronic cards are used, but there is no way biometrically of ensuring that the card belongs to the holder (ie it is not a secure smartcard, or biometric has not been collected countrywide), then again other form of documentation of documentation are needed. The only instance were it is not necessary for a secondary documentation is where the card IS a smartcard and can be proven (usually biometrically) to belong to the holder, and the legal framework is in place to support this.

Re: Biometric Voter Registration and Voter Identification

Adolphe N'soke, March 20. 2014

Suite à la préoccupation sus-mentionnée au sujet de l'enregistrement biométrique et des personnes n'ayant aucune pièce d'identification, j'aimerais dire ce qui suit:

- Déjà l'enregistrement biométrique est une bonne chose en ce sens qu'il permet de bien conserver les données et partant faciliter un enregistrement fiable, toutefois, il est important de savoir que la forme de l'enregistrement ne donne pas forcément le caractère crédible aux scrutins.

- Lors de l'enregistrement, si certains individus n'ont aucune pièce d'identification pour une raison ou une autre, il est déjà important de savoir que cette situation ne devrait pas les astreindre de leur droit de vote et donc de leur enregistrement, d'où la nécessite pour les pays concernés de mettre sur pied des mesures palliatives de ce cas de figure, soit leur produire des pièces d'identité après vérification qu'ils sont citoyens de ces pays, soit leur demander de se présenter au lieu d'identification avec des témoins (3 ou 5) qui sont des personnes identifiées comme citoyens et connaissant les individus mis en cause, de ces personnes devraient figurer des autorités traditionnelles de la contrée d'où ressort les potentiels électeurs.

- En marge, lors du vote proprement dit, il est exigé que chaque personne inscrite ait les documents appropriées avant de poser l'acte de vote. Mais, dans ce cas de figure, si la commission en charge de l'enregistrement des électeurs est convaincue de son incapacité à pouvoir procéder à la distribution des cartes d'électeurs, une fois les noms inscrits sur les listes électorales, ceux n'ayant pas reçu leur carte électorale ne devraient pas se voir refuser de voter.

-En définitive, il y a lieu de dire que pour cette question il est difficile d'être rigide au regard de la loi qui en elle même, ne pourrait pas traiter l'entièreté des cas de figure possibles. 

Re: Biometric Voter Registration and Voter Identification

Ronan McDermott, March 20. 2014

Any use of biometrics to identify or verify (there is a difference, discussed below) voters at a polling station must take into consideration the following possibilities:

  1. What contingency mechanism is there should the biometric device used to identify or verify voters breaks down?
  2. What contingency mechanism is there if the biometric characteristic used to identify or verify the voter is not available (bandaged finger, loss of finger, failure to acquire due to dirt or fingerprint quality degradation)?
  3. Where voters' biometrics were never enrolled during the initial BVR process (for whatever reason), they are not available on election day for identification or verification, how are these voters identified?

 

Whether or not to accept biometric identification (or verification) as an alternative to paper ID documents is a matter for each country. But the defining challenge is ensure that a malfunction of any device does not disenfranchise - question 1 above. The logical alternative to biometric identification is paper identification. Where a citizen cannot be biometrically identified (or verified), and that citizen has no identification documents, it may seem a lost cause. But there is one final safety net - if the polling station is supplied with a paper copy of the voter list, and if this list contains the photograph of the voter, it seems reasonable to allow the Presiding Officer to use that as a means of identifying a voter. Yes, this opens the process to abuse by Presiding Officers, but there are many integrity mechanisms that can be built in to inhibit any abuse. The role of political party or candidate agents and citizen observers is also vital here.

Biometric identification is where a voter offers a fingerprint (for example) and the device will look up all the biometric data it contains to see if there is a match (a 1:N match, where N is the number of records in the database). The question being asked is "Who is this person".
Biometric verification, on the other hand, asks the question "Is this person who they say they are?" - so, for example, the voter's ID number is entered, then a fingerprint, and the system matches the offered fingerprint against just one, a 1:1 match.

 

I hope this helps - for international comparisons, look at Ghana or Brasil.

 

Ronan

Re: Biometric Voter Registration and Voter Identification

Mbeng Njang Emmanuel, March 20. 2014

Njang Emmanuel,

In Cameroon the  BVR was introduced in 2012 by the law to curb multiple cases of registration and voting during Elections.A new voter register was therefore designed that took into consideration the biometric and biographic data of potential voters.This system combines information contained on the individual 's I D card and biological components such as finger prints and face capture(photograph )At the end of the registration process a detailed voters list is produced indicating every voters picture finger print and information contained on the individual's ID card.On the Election Day all voters are required to produce the voter's card and the National ID for identification. In the event where the voter's card is missing the polling commission would identify the individual from his National ID card  permit the individual to vote if the information contained on the Biometric voters's list corresponds with the details on the National ID Card.The National I D card is therefore a vital document for the BVR and for  the  voting operation.

Re: Biometric Voter Registration and Voter Identification

Idi Boina, March 20. 2014

Chaque pays a ces spécificités,mais il faut savoir aussi que chaque pays a un code électorale qui détermine les voies et moyens permettant les électeurs d'aller s'enregistrer et en plus, cette même loi dispose les condition préalable pour être électeur. Afin d'éviter les conflits, même si les membres  des BV connaissent l’électeur,sa famille sa date de majorité pour devenir électeur, il nécessite selon la loi de se présenter au bureau de vote en présentant  sa carte d’électeur,cela va garantir la transparence,et évitera les conflits.

Re: Biometric Voter Registration and Voter Identification

Kisimba Lumbwe Albert, March 20. 2014

Si l’identification biométrique est déjà effectuée, dans le but purement électoral, et que la liste des électeurs est aussi établit, il normal pour une institution électorale de procéder a la mise a jour du fichier et ou à une opération spéciale de transfert des électeurs, ce qui a pour avantage de procéder a la remise des cartes aux personne les ayant perdu afin de gagner le plus d’électeur possible.

Dans certains pays d’Afrique, comme le Mali, le ficher de l’Etat civil est révisé annuellement et cela permet la mise a jour automatique du fichier électorale. La carte biométrique NINA, du mali est remise aux électeurs jusqu'à 24h avant le vote. Le consensus avec les parties prenantes est utile et nécessaire pour une bonne conduite des élections.   

Dans l’hypothèse ou cette BVR a été effectuée pour un recensement général de la population et qu’il y ressort le fichier électoral et si la loi exige un carte d’identité pour voter, alors il faut solliciter l’assistance des 5 témoins ayant voté sur la même liste et vivant dans le même quartier que l’électeur concerné, mais cela nécessite toujours en amont un consensus avec les parties prenantes et surtout les mesures d’applications claires.  

 

Re: Biometric Voter Registration and Voter Identification

Francis Ameyibor, March 20. 2014

How is voter verification conducted in other countries conducting BVR? Are there similar ID requirements prior to BVR identification?

 

In exercising the powers conferred on the Electoral Commission by Ghana’s 1992 Constitution Article 51 the Commission drafted the PUBLIC ELECTIONS REGULATIONS, 2012 (i.e., Constitutional Instrument 75). It was laid before Parliament on August 14, 2012, approved on September 26, 2012, and came into force on September 28, 2012:

Section 30 (1) of C.I.75 provides that “A presiding officer may, before delivering a ballot paper to a person who is to vote at the election, require the person to produce (a) a voter identification card, or (b) any other evidence determined by the Commission, in order to establish by fingerprint or facial recognition that the person is the registered voter whose name and voter identification number and particulars appear in the register.”

Section 30 (2) requires that “The voter shall go through a biometric verification process.”

Section 18(1) also requires that “The returning officer shall provide a presiding officer with: (a) a number of ballot boxes and ballot papers; (b) a biometric verification equipment; and (c) any other equipment or materials that the Commission considers necessary.”

A “biometric verification equipment” is defined in C.I. 75 as “… a device provided at a polling station by the (Electoral) Commission for the purpose of establishing by fingerprint the identity of the voter.” The biometric verification process in the December 2012 elections used a “biometric verification equipment”.

“The Public Elections Regulations adopted in 2012 pursuant to Constitutional Instrument 75 (hereinafter referred to as CI 75) provides that “[t]he voter shall go through a biometric verification process.” CI 75, Section 30(2). Significantly, the regulations do not impose specific legal penalties on the voter who fails to go through such a biometric verification process. The regulations certainly do not provide that a vote by such a person would be illegal and should not be counted to determine the results of an election.

 Indeed, the types of acts that would invalidate the ballot of a voter are identified in CI 75, Section 37(1) which provides: “A ballot paper shall… be void and not be counted if the ballot paper (a) does not bear the official mark of the Commission; or (b) is not thumb printed by the voter to clearly identify the candidate for whom the vote was cast; or (c) is not thumb printed at all or (d) has on it a writing or mark by which the voter could easily be identified.”

 

It should be noted that the list in Section 37(1) does not include a ballot paper cast by a voter who has not gone through a biometric verification process. Furthermore, Section 37(1) deals exclusively with the acts and omissions of the individual voter and does not penalise the voter for acts and omissions of others.”

 Section 34(1) of C.I. 75 provides that “Where the proceedings at a polling station are interrupted or obstructed by (a) riot, open violence, storm, flood, or other natural catastrophe, or (b) the breakdown of an equipment, the presiding officer shall in consultation with the returning officer and subject to the approval of the Commission, adjourn the proceedings to the following day.”

Article 42 of the Constitution of Ghana says that:

 “Every citizen of Ghana of eighteen years of age or above and of sound mind has the right to vote and is entitled to be registered as a voter for the purposes of public elections and referenda.”

 

Therefore, only the following four conditions are required by the constitution for a person to vote in an election or referendum: (1) proof of citizenship, (2) proof that you are 18 or older, (3) proof sound of mind, and (4) your name appears in the voters’ register.

 Based on the article 42 of the constitution, biometric verification is sufficient to satisfy (1) and (4) but it is not necessary. The manual voters’ register, hard copies of which were given to the political parties, was generated during the biometric registration exercise in May 2012. Based on the constitution, an acceptable form of identification (e.g., a photo ID) and the appearance of a voter’s name in the register are sufficient to satisfy (1) and (4).

 WHAT IS BIOMETRIC REGISTRATION?

 Biometric registration involves collecting biometric data such as finger prints and facial scans of individuals for the purposes of identification. Biometric data for identification can be used in a number of contexts.

 Biometric voter registration represents a means to accurately capture unique physical features of an individual in addition to demographic data of the Ghanaian voter. The intent of implementing this project is to prevent multiple voter registration and voting, as well as mitigating the incidence of voter fraud.

 Qualification Criteria For Biometric Voter Registration in Ghana

 The Electoral Commission (EC) Ghana, spelt out qualification criteria for participation in the biometric voter registration exercise, said a prospective voter is required to provide their exact date of birth, their current residential address as well as their hometown address.

 The applicant is also required to show evidence of eligibility to register by providing a birth certificate, passport, baptismal card, a driver’s license or a national health insurance card, the national identity card or the existing voter’s identity card.

 Dr Afari Gyan said for security reasons all 10 fingers of applicants as well as their images would be captured digitally as part of the registration exercise.

 “In the event of an applicant having lost some fingers, the fingerprints of the available fingers will be captured. Special arrangements will also be made for the registration of persons without fingers,” the EC Chairman explained.

 He said after the registration formalities, applicants would receive a new Voter’s Identity Card which contained their photograph and a barcode containing their unique ID card number.

 Dr Afari Gyan, said measures had been taken to ensure that data captured during the registration process is secured.

 To this end; a technical committee had been set up comprising staff of the EC and representatives from the political parties to examine ways of achieving data security.

 BIOMETRIC VOTER REGISTRATION

 Biometric Voter Registration involves the use of biometric technology in voter registration.  Biometric technology is the use of computers, fingerprint scanners and digital cameras to capture the bio-data of applicants.  Fingerprints are unique to every individual and it is these unique features and other details that are stored in the computer from which the voters register is produced.

 As done in previous registrations all applicants must be physically present at designated registration centres (regular polling stations) to be registered as voters.

 WHY BIOMETRIC VOTER REGISTRATION

 The old method of registering voters did not have inbuilt mechanism for detecting multiple registrations and therefore there were instances where some unscrupulous individuals registered more than once.  Biometric technology will make the detection and removal of multiple registrations from the system possible.  With this a more accurate and reliable register will be produced for the elections.

 THE REGISTRATION PROCESS

 1.         Registration will start at 7.00am and end at 6.00pm each day of the registration period, including Saturdays and Sundays.

 As an applicant you must be physically present at the registration centre to provide the following information to the Registration Officer;

         Name

         Date of birth

         Age

         Sex

         Residential address/house number of your present abode

         Names of parents (dead or alive)

         Home town/residential address in home town if different from present abode

         District where hometown is located

 2.         Capturing of Fingerprints

The fingerprints of all your ten fingers will be electronically captured using a fingerprint scanner.  The four fingerprints on the right hand will be captured first followed by the left hand and finally the two thumbprints.

 3.         Photo Taking

In addition to taking your fingerprints, your photograph will also be taken on the spot.  This photograph will be printed on your voter ID card and the voters register.

 4.         Issuance of Voter I.D. Cards

Unless your application for registration as a voter is challenged, you will be issued with a voter ID card at the point of registration.  Please wait for your I.D card before you leave the registration centre.  If your application for registration as a voter is challenged you will be issued with a voter I.D card only if you are cleared by the District Registration Review Committee (DRRC) set up in every district to investigate and determine the challenges.

 CHALLENGING AN APPLICATION FOR REGISTRATION

An applicant’s registration as a voter may be challenged by anybody who qualified to be registered as a voter.

 A challenge on the eligibility of an applicant to register as a voter will not stop him/her from going through the process if he/she insist that he/she is qualified. 

 The applicant will be allowed to go through the process except that he/she will not be issued with a voter I.D card until the challenge is determined by the District Registration Review Committee (DRRC). 

 If an applicant is challenged, both the applicant and the challenger will appear before the DRRC for hearing and determination of the challenge.

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Re: Biometric Voter Registration and Voter Identification

Liberata Irambona, March 20. 2014

TOUT DEPEND DE LOI APPLIQUEE DANS LES DIFFERENTS PAYS. AU RWANDA,  L'ENREGISTREMENT BIOMETRIQUE EXISTE DEJA. ET LE CODE ELECTORAL EST BIEN PRECI SUR CE POINT. POUR VOTER IL FAUT D'ABORD ETRE SUR LA LIST ELECTORAL ET PRESENTER AUSSI LA CARTE D'IDENTITE AVANT DE VOTER. EN CAS DE PERTE DE L'ID, L'ELECTEUR DEMANDE UNE ATTESTATION DE PERTE ET IL/ELLE PEUT PRESENTER CELA COMME DOCUMENT VALABLE. AU CAS OU L'ELECTEUR N'A PAS CETTE ATTESTATION, ALORS LES ASSESSEURS LUI DEMANDERONT DES TEMOINS QUI LE CONNAISSENT AU SEIN DU VALLAGE ET IL VOTERA APRES LES AUTRES.

MAIS NOUS SOMME ENTRAIN DE VOIR COMMENT MODIFIER CET ARTICLE DU CODE ELECTORAL RWANDAIS ET VOIR COMMENT NOS ELECTEURS PEUVENT VOTER SANS LA CARTE D'IDENTITE SI ET SEULEMENT SI LEUR NOM APPARAISSENT SUR LA LISTE ELECTORAL, LE NUMERO DES CARTES D'IDENTITE ET LA PHOTO D'ELECTEUR APPARAISSENT SUR LA LISTE ELECTORAL.

 

Re: Biometric Voter Registration and Voter Identification

Susana Dione Ngole Epie, March 20. 2014

What should be the prevailing factor that could guide both the stakeholders and the Electoral Management Body, is the Rule of Law. What the law says in a particular situation, should be the final say for that procedure. 

In Cameroon the Voter Registration Process, is guided by the Electoral Code, which could be revised at any time. If it is the case in your country, then the authorities in charge could look into the matter and buy the new opinion concerning the putting aside of the National Identity Card (NIC) during the voting process. 

It is logical, since the Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) process is done by the use of the NIC, it could be possible that, all the relevant information on the NIC have been retrieved. In my country, the wish of the people is that, they want to use the Biometric Voter Cards, as an identity card. Going about with it and getting free passes, where NIC are necessary.

Re: Biometric Voter Registration and Voter Identification

Md. Abdul Alim, March 20. 2014

Bangladesh has BVR system and all the registered voters receive National ID cards as bi-product. But the NID cards are not mandatory to cast votes. On election day, voters have to show/tell his/her voter's serial number which is compulsory. When the voter tell his voter serial number, the polling officer identify him/her as he has voter list with photograph. After confirmation, the voters are allowed to vote.

Re: Biometric Voter Registration and Voter Identification

Ernesto R. del Rosario, March 20. 2014

In the Philippines our election law DO NOT require the voter to have his/her ID to be presented to be able to vote because the voter is the person wanting to vote, not the ID and denying his/her right to vote because of a missing ID is a clear case of  disenfranchisement.  On the other hand, mandating that the ID as a strict requirement to be able to vote encourages cheaters to buy/rent the voters IDs before an election to commit election fraud. As long as the voter is in the voter's list for the polling center for the specific election he/she wants to vote and is properly identified by poll-workers as the same person in the list that he/she claims to be, he/she will be allowed to vote.  Given that, the identification/authentication challenge shifts to the EMB to have the high-integrity/correct (secure, accurate, current and complete) voter identification and authentication system to assure that only legitimate voters are allowed to vote on election day.  On this basis, a 3-phase automated voter identification programme for 50+ million (and growing at 2.5% annually) voters was started back in August 2003 employing 1) a front-end (field) biometrics (signature, four-finger fingerprint, photo) and demographics (name, address, etc.) information capture, 2) a back-end (central) voter list cleansing facility via an Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) to remove replicated entries via fingerprint matching (having a 99.9+% match detection accuracy) and a front-end/on-line-real-time identity verification system on election day.  Today, phases (1) and (2) are operational and phase (3) is still to be implemented.  Meanwhile, for each election since 2003, a centrally-printed current election-day voters list (as cleansed by the AFIS immediately prior election day) having the photo of each voter and a space to capture the voter's right-thumb fingerprint after he/she has voted is used as an interim solution each election. This system has been used in the national and mid-term elections of 2004, 2007, 2010 and 2013 plus some regional and smaller special elections. 

Hope this helps.

Re: Biometric Voter Registration and Voter Identification

Ochana Patrick, March 21. 2014

Biometric voter registration is specifically meant to authenticate voters particulars and hence avoid duplicate/multiple registration. In Uganda, for one to be allowed to vote, s/he must have registered earlier on during registration exercise. On polling day, one must appear in person at the polling center where s/he will be identified by the presiding officer using the voters register in his/her pocession. Presentation of the registration card or ID is not a prerequisite. Beside, the polling agents i.e. representative of the contesting candidates/political parties also have a copy of the register being used by the presiding officer and they all help in identifying a voter if there is any controversy. 

Ochana Patrick 

Re: Biometric Voter Registration and Voter Identification

Errol Miller, March 21. 2014

1. Since 1980 the Representation of the People Act of Jamaica has required all electors to present their issued Voter ID Card at Polling Stations at the time of Voting. This ID Card has the  photograph of the Voter.

2. Since 2002 Electoral Officials and each Agent of a Candidate in Polling Stations have a copy of Picture Versions of the Voters' List for that Polling Station. Hence, electors can be independently verified by photograph  by all present.

 3. Since 1997 Jamaica has used fingerprints, photographs and biographical information to register voters and prepare the Voters List. In producing a Voters' List the fingerprints of all electors previously registered and all new applicants are cross-matched to eliminate duplication on the  Voters List produced.

4. The process to produce the Voters List is interactive and participatory and involving the scrutiny by agents of political parties at the national and constituency levels.

5. Once the Draft List is corrected for any errors the Voters List produced is not changed. Two Voters Lists are published each year on May 31 and Nov 30. Any election called is conduced on the extant Voter List.

6. Since 2003 Jamaica has used an Electronic Voter Identification and Ballot Issuing System, EVIBIS in some polling stations in General and Local Government Elections. The elector's live fingerprints and matched against a database of fingerprints and a ballot issued where the match is positive.

7. In Jamaican electoral law if the person who turns up at the Polling Station is on the Voters List that person is an elector and entitled to Vote. However, if they have failed to bring their Voter ID Card the must take an Oath and be fingerprinted in order to vote.

8. The requirement to bring the ID card to a Polling Station in which the EVIBIS system is used is technically redundant since the photographs of electors are produced once they have been identified biometrically. However, the ID Card is legally required. This dissonance results from the fact that it is much easier legislatively to add requirements to electoral law than to delete them. This is usually to the irritation of the electorate who can clearly see the lack of logic. It also lures Electoral Officials, in such circumstances, to be less strict in the enforcement of the law.

Re: Biometric Voter Registration and Voter Identification

Christine Ndayishimiye, March 21. 2014

Ndayishimiye du Burundi

La question est pertinente car elle peut soulever des conflits, c'est pourquoi la loi électorale doit tout faire pour respecter le principe de l'inclusivité. Ainsi, la loi doit prévoir tous les cas de figure pour que tous les citoyens puissent exercer leur droit de vote même ceux qui ont perdu leur carte d'électeur. Il faut prévoir des palliatifs par exemple des témoins peuvent affirmer que tel ou tel est un citoyen, seulement il faut faire attention pour qu'il n y ait pas des tricheries .

Re: Biometric Voter Registration and Voter Identification

Tetteh Ankama Okyne, March 22. 2014

Ghana introduced bvr in 2012 and the law was that if one has misplaced the voter identification card he or she will go to the polling station where he or she registered and if your name is found in the register for voters you will be allowed to vote after going through a biometric voter identification processes such as the use of a verification device (BVD).

Re: Biometric Voter Registration and Voter Identification

Suhail HajHammad, March 23. 2014

I have read some of previous comments, which i believe is very useful.

for me, i think biometric data is used to prevent double registration or double voting. not to identify people at elections. so, the purpose to use it is a major factor.

do you think it is acceptable and comfortable for your stakeholders (mainly voters, political parties, and observers) to rely only on advanced machines when directly dealing with people and community; most of people consider it as black box. what perception they will have ?

in your case, birometric data is not the main measure of identification, because the law requires voters to present identification document; so, why take this burden on your own.

at the end; you may be challenged in courts if you accept voters with no documents. because it violates the law.

 

hope this will help.

Re: Biometric Voter Registration and Voter Identification

Shipra Chowdhury, March 23. 2014

My country introduced biometric voter registration (BVR) in 2008. According to the law identification documents are not essential before voting. Polling Official usually identifies voters  checking with voter list ( with photograph). Also Election Commission provide each voter NID card and it has a number that contains 17 dizit. Voter number and the NID number are not the same number.  But the last 6 digits of NID number is voter's area number/ village number that is also remain in voter number.  

As the voter number is very long every voter number has a unique number in voter list. So any voter know his unique number and tell to the polling official. So polling official identified the voter regarding this number and checked with photograph. Also checked with the polling agents present their. If there is no objection about the voter he/she would able to cast vote. No documents required. Polling agent and candidates serves voter the voter no for their own interest in our country. 

Re: Biometric Voter Registration and Voter Identification

Amin S. Wasike Yusuf, March 26. 2014

Clearly, this is a very controversial issue. 

My assumption is that the voter must have presented the identification documents before he or she was registered and that the document was thoroughly scrutinized before capturing his or her details and biometrics.

Moreover, as pointed out by a member from Philippines, it is the voter who is presenting himself or herself to vote and at this stage, the eligibility of the voter is not being questioned. 

Where it is anticipated that the systems might fail, arrangements should be made to print clear coloured copies of the registers.

As EMBs, we need to help put in place legislation that do not disenfranchise voters.

Re: Biometric Voter Registration and Voter Identification

Vincent de Paul Taty, March 31. 2014

Bonjour!

Dans mon pays le Congo Brazzaville, la biométrie n'est pas encore mis en service, mais nous avions déjà payé le matériel informatique nécessaire pour la mise en œuvre de cette opération qui nous prendra beaucoup de temps. En effet, la biométrie à semble t-il été introduite pour limiter la fraude électorale surtout pour les pays qui font les premiers pas en démocratie. Dans certains pays, la carte biométrique fait foi de carte d'électeurs et même d'identité si je ne m'abuse. c'est le cas en RD Congo. Mais le problème que pose mon collègue doit se résoudre dans les dispositions pratique de la loi électorale de son pays. Seul la loi ou les textes subséquents détermine les conditions pour voter. Dans mon pays, l'OGE prend certaines dispositions par circulaire ou autres qui dispose: l'électeur peut voter sur la base du témoignage d'un électeur qui est sur la même liste que ce dernier et qui dispose d'une pièce d'identité. Toutes fois, l’effort qui doit être fait est celui de coupler la biométrie à l’état civil des pays pour effectivement limiter la fraude et la transhumance des électeurs.        

Re: Biometric Voter Registration and Voter Identification

Hadija Miiro, April 02. 2014

In Uganda, the Electoral Commission uses a photo bearing register as well as a voter card to identify a voter. Although a voter card is required, the election official if supported by all candidates' agents may allow a voter to cast his/her  using the photo bearing register. A person may also be allowed to register or update his/her particulars if correctly identified by the Parish committee, or the village (RC1) chairperson.

Re: Biometric Voter Registration and Voter Identification

Francisco Barrera, April 04. 2014

 

Los temas tienen que separarse para poder resolverlos: Si la norma requiere que el ciudadano se identifique para saber si es quien dice que es, pues se deben tener dichos mecanismos de identificacion (o se debe cambiar la norma). Los que pueden ser mediante documento fisico o mediante la identificacion por medios biometricos que debe estar comprobado que funciona y que se tiene la totalidad de los posibles votantes en una base de datos veridica, generalmente esta informacion esta almacenada cuando se expide el ID y es un subgrupo de datos para el registro electoral.

La siguiente parte deberia ser que identificado el ciudadano, se quiera tambien identificarlo para el siguiente paso que es el proceso de voto, este paso puede ser de la forma tradicional con papeletas fisicas o para votacion en medios electronicos, esto ultimo seria lo que requiere una segunda identificacion para independizar y rastrear el voto con el votante.

Ahora bien, existen los dos pasos de forma manual o automatica: Con un sistema se identifica al ciudadano, que sea el que dice ser y que su documento fisico sea autentico, se le debe expedir algun elemento fisico o electronico que permita que la maquina de votacion lo reconozca y le permita el paso de votacion.

En todos los casos se debe contar con mecanismos de contingencia tanto para la identificacion del ciudadano, del votantante y del proceso de votacion.

Re: Biometric Voter Registration and Voter Identification

Sadou Lady Bawa, April 10. 2014

La biométrie optee par le Cameroun comme l'a présenté Monsieur Mbeng Njang Emmanuel n'est pas intégrale. L'article 103 du code électoral dispose '' A son entrée dans le bureau de vote, l’électeur DOIT présenter sa carte électorale. Il DOIT en outre prouver son identité. Il s'agit ici d'une obligation de présenter ces deux pièces. La loi continue en disant que '''la commission locale de vote peut autoriser a voter tout électeur inscrit dans ce bureau de vote qui se trouverait pour une cause quelconque, empêché de présenter sa carte électorale. Elle DOIT au préalable s’assurer de son identité. Les dispositions de la loi rendent obligatoire la présentation de la carte nationale d’identité et ces dispositions doivent être respectées parce que c'est la loi. La carte électorale aurait pu servir a identifier l’électeur puisqu'elle comporte sa photo mais la loi ne le prévoit pas.

Le respect de la loi par tous les intervenants dans l’élection est fondamentale. Les partis politiques , l'OGE, les médias,l'administration, la société civile doivent éduquer,informer et sensibiliser les électeurs a la maîtrise de la loi électorale et partant la connaissance de leurs droits et devoirs électoraux.

L'application stricte de la loi par l'OGE renforce sa crédibilité.

Il n'existe pas de loi électorale standard, chaque pays adopte la sienne selon sa vision politique il revient de l'appliquer. Il est vrai aussi que dans certains pays c'est l'OGE qui légiféré en matière électorale. 

Dans tous les cas une bonne loi électorale doit respecter les droits fondamentaux des  individus.

Re: Biometric Voter Registration and Voter Identification

Henry Atem, April 22. 2014

This is an important question. What is important here is 'why BVR in the first place'? What are the products of the process? A comprehensive and realistic voters list free from duplication and ghost names and voter cards all biometric in nature with the primary objective to ensure equality of citizens in the ballot box. Some Countries have added biometric voter verification machines, BVM, as in Ghana.

While it is important to secure the polling process, the process can disenfranchised voters as in the 2012 polls in Ghana where voting was prolong in most polling stations in urban areas due to the shortcomings of the BVMs. In some polling stations, even with identification documents, some voters were not allowed to vote because the BVM did not capture their finger print.

Whereas in Cameroon without BVM, a voter can vote without a National ID Card but should be in possession of a voter card. However, in practice, voters do vote even without any of the identification documents provided the Local Polling Commission comprising of a Chair appointed by the EMB, with members coming from running political parties and the administration confirms the identity of the voter. Presumably, most of the members of the commission are chosen from the polling station surroundings. The introduction of BVR in 2012 further eased the process of identification because the polling voters list carry the picture of all the voters. The concern here is ensuring the voters list has no duplication allowing a voter to vote from one poll station to another since the indelible ink has been questionable in successive elections. 

As illustrated above, it is important to stick to the legal provision with respect to identification of voters and learn from past experiences to make the process more secured but again ensuring voters are not disenfranchise or the process delayed.

Re: Biometric Voter Registration and Voter Identification

Solomon Bobosibunu, April 23. 2014

It is one of the conversations in Zimbabwe now and hopefully the adopted methodology will be sustainable,user friendly and does have safe guards and back-ups. The issue in the question is about what else is required to identify the voter if we already have BVR? I would think that 

1. If the voter was issued with a Voter Card with a photograph and all other details as maybe required by law and the Commission but have lost the National ID cards or passport then the voter should be allowed to vote.

2. If the Voter information does not contain enough information that can be easily used to identify the voter i.e photograph, finger prints etc then a combination of that voter card and the national ID are necessary.

The option to use both the national ID with a picture or finger prints with the 1st scenario would only work to disenfranchise citizens as there is enough evidence that the person in question is the same.

Re: Biometric Voter Registration and Voter Identification

Kunzang Wangdi, May 01. 2014

In Bhutan as of now we issue voter photo identity card (VPIC) to each registered voter. They are l required to present it. If challenged produce the citizenship identity card. However in the near future,  as we are capturing biometric information, we will if we can afford hardware not insist on any ID as details will be on our computers at the polling station.

Re: Biometric Voter Registration and Voter Identification

Alamine Simon Addih, May 01. 2014

In my country in Côte d'Ivoire the elector need a birthday paper in the order to be enregistred in the BVR. Sometime when there is a doute on the nationality of the requested people the EMB staff asked them to bring the National card of one parent or a witness to justify their identity.

When some of the people havn't any identity paper the Goverment make a prior an identification operation which implied the layers through "audience foraine" around the country.

In DRC, they didn't need an ID card before the BVR. The NEC organized the idenfication and register of the people who had 18 years and plus. The electoral ID card is the same like the national identity ID card.

Thank you lot.

 

 

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