Updates on Biometric Voter Registration for Liberia, Zimbabwe, and Nigeria

An example of how technological progress over the past decade has led to safer and more efficient elections is the introduction of biometric voter registration. To verify a person's identity and eligibility to vote, the biometric voter registration system analyzes a variety of bodily characteristics. This method eliminates the possibility of voter fraud and manipulation, such as the use of stolen identities or the casting of multiple ballots.

The Biometric Registration Process in Liberia Takes Too Long

NEC has decided to delay the countrywide voter registration effort until later this year. With a press statement issued on Monday, December 5th, 2022, the commission announced that the new target date of December 15th had been pushed back. In Liberia's impending 2023 presidential and legislative elections, the current president, George Manneh Weah, is fighting for re-election for a second six-year term against various opposition personalities.

After a long procurement procedure, the PPCC finally approved Laxton as the vendor to provide the necessary voter registration hardware and software, prompting the change. According to Front Page Africa, Waymark Infotech and its partner Montana have appealed the decision, claiming that their joint proposal was nearly $700,000 cheaper and met all qualification conditions. Partner is dissatisfied with Laxton's financial records and the usage of desktops instead of tablets during the presentation.

Seventy Percent of Zimbabweans Register 

Over 70% of Zimbabwe's eligible voters have registered to vote, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission said The Herald. According to an update given to the Zimbabwean Parliament by ZEC Chief Elections Officer Utoile Silaigwana, the biometric technology has successfully prevented duplicate registrations.

Those already registered to vote, according to Silaigwana, are to responsible for ZEC's failure to register everyone who wants to be. Because certain registrations occur behind closed doors, it is not always possible to verify one's registration status with authorities. In addition, the official claimed that the ZEC should be provided with greater funding to support voter education efforts.

Voter Fraud Investigations in Nigeria End

Amateur digital sleuths uncovered several voter IDs that seemed to have photographs of children. It's possible that some of the people on the preliminary list registered many times by subtly changing their look with things like cosmetics, clothing, or even their posture. Despite the legal voting age being 18, dishonest politicians can boost their popularity by registering minors and enticing people to cast numerous ballots.

Concerns have been voiced over how these allegedly duplicate votes evaded the expensive new biometrics system. To avoid such problems, the Independent National Electoral Commission established registration facilities to gather personal data such age, gender, fingerprints, and photographs. The general election in February 2019 is expected to be extremely tight, and even a modest shift in support might determine the victor.

In spite of the widespread nature of the problem, finding a workable solution remains elusive. To solve these kinds of issues, you may want to choose a Biometric Turnkey Solution. The biometric voter registration system is a specialty area for M2SYS, a global biometric provider. If you're interested in finding out more, please contact us.