Voter registration —
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Voter registration

Electoral registers support democratic principles by fostering political equality for all citizens and actively promoting the inclusion of eligible voters in the election process. Differences arise over how much effort election authorities should make to register voters from groups that historically have lower-than-average levels of registration and voter turnout – for example, women, members of visible and ethnic minorities, the poor, and youth. Some countries try to develop focused and targeted registration campaigns to increase the participation of these groups. Other countries take a more passive approach: officials make it equally possible for all individuals to register and vote, but do not seek to increase the registration of any particular group.

Despite these differences, there is consensus that for a system to be considered democratic and representative, it must provide equal opportunity to participate through an inclusive voter registration process.

The comprehensiveness of a voters’ list is measured by the proportion of eligible voters included on it. As the proportion of registered voters increases, however, and as efforts are made to meet other performance targets (i.e. accuracy), the marginal cost of registering additional voters escalates. The first voter registrations are relatively inexpensive: voters may have been at home when the enumerators called, or they responded without delay to a mailed request for updated information. If they had no changes to record, the information about them on the voters list remained current and accurate. In the case of potential voters who do not satisfy these conditions, the costs of gathering and updating data may rise. Also, it may take more than one attempt to contact some voters who are difficult to reach. The more comprehensive, accurate and current the voters’ list becomes, therefore, the more expensive it will be to produce.

For example, some countries maintain a continuous list including voters who live abroad. If the target is 90 percent for comprehensiveness, they may find the expense prohibitive. A cost-conscious solution might be to develop a separate registration system for nationals living abroad – a practice followed by some countries. Instead of being kept on the active domestic voters’ lists, citizens living abroad must register at their own initiative for each electoral event.

N.B. The views of members of the ACE Practitioners' Network on this question can be read in the consolidated reply: Minimum standard for voter registration rate?

In your view, what is an acceptable minimum rate of voter registration?

  • 60% of eligible voters
  • 70% of eligible voters
  • 80% of eligible voters
  • 90% of eligible voters
  • Other
  • There is no minimum
Total votes
215 people have voted on this poll.
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voter registration

Posted by RALEVASON Hary Tiana at Apr 05, 2016 10:57 PM
I think that it's always necessary to evaluate each election organised before taking another election. from this final evaluation the whole responsible will know and understand the reasons of the level of results obtained, so it will be possible and easy to find the best way to get better.
for the voter registration, with my experiences I propose that the best way is to hand an active approach by valuating electoral intersession. We need a long or permanent time for register voters efficiently. For that there are three steps: firstly, distribute a sheet of registration for each family; secondly, computerize all information collected from this sheet with the presence of local electoral agent if possible; thirdly, print and distribute an extract of the draft of electoral voters and ask for for each family to correct it before printing final and definitive electoral list of voters. In rural zone, containing more an-alphabets it is more practice to organise an general assembly of voters to correct to draft of electoral voters. this way will be more efficient with an electoral education respecting traditions and cultures of the community.