The Question

This question is posed on behalf of an academic at Trinity College, Dublin.

I am conducting research on the voter registration patterns of urban migrants, and I am exploring whether there exists a 'rural bias' in African democracies, where incumbents discourage urban migrants to register to vote in cities, in order to keep rural strongholds intact. Moreover, I am also exploring whether such as bias is linked to urban management and migration possibilities. My question is therefore: 

• Are there any suggestions of available case studies, data or literature on any African country about incumbents discouraging the voter registration of urban migrants?

 

Summary of Responses

Several members of the Practitioners’ Network (PN) with experiences from West African countries recognized a dynamic where political parties encourage voting in rural areas by urban dwellers/migrants. However, other responses from members acquainted with the African context did not recognize this same dynamic and instead suggested further study that can draw on the experiences of research institutions such as Afrobarometer.

Responses from the PN further identified economic discrimination as a potentially discouraging factor, when migrants from rural to urban areas are required to produce documentation such as birth certificates. This can be a hindrance as it might involve a significant cost to produce birth certificates as well as travel to the place of birth. 

 

Examples of Related ACE Articles and Resources

• Voter Registration Encyclopaedia topic area 

 

Names of Contributors

• Innocent Campos
• Idi Boina
• Jacqueline Mwebesa Atuheirwe
• Mirimo Mulongo
• Manuel Wally
• Ochana Patrick
• Khumo Lebang
• Pamela Mapondera
• Wondmu Gebru
• Ababacar Fall

Dans la plupart des pays africains tout au moins ceux de l'Afrique de l'Ouest, l'exode rural est très remarquable et influence le processus électoral.  Les militants qui quittent les villages pour les villes ont tendance,lors du processus électoral  à s'inscrire dans leur village ou localité  où ils  retirent leur carte d'électeur. Le jour du scrutin, il est aisé d'observer un flux important d'électeurs quittant les villes vers les villages pour exercer leur droit de vote. Cette pratique est souvent encouragée par les leaders politiques qui louent, à l'occasion, des bus ou autres moyens de transport,pour faciliter le déplacement de leurs militants. Cela est  crucial lorsqu'il s'agit des élections municipales ou législatives. Car le vote va directement au fils du terroir ou de la circonscription donnée. A ma connaissance, je ne pense pas qu'il y ait une tendance à décourager une telle pratique. Et demain, n'est pas encore la veille de la fin de ce vote à caractère régional ou régionaliste.  

Bonjour à tous,je suis d'accord avec mon collègue innocent, mais je vais juste ajouter que  les migrants urbain,ne posent pas des problèmes une fois recenser en ville. Lors du traitement des données, l’électeur est directement affecter dans  sa ville natal et au bureau  de sa circonscription électorale. toute fois, l’électeur peut changer de domicile,demandant d'être localisé dans un autre endroit selon son souhait.

In my country, voter registration is done universally and at the same time throughout the country. Whats we do is ask the various parish and sub-county supervisors to select able people preferably those who reside in those particular areas because they have knowledge about the geography of the area, know the local languages for the sake of the illiterates and above all have a fair knowledge of who the residents of that particular electoral area are.

After the selection, these people are trained and given uniform guidelines to be followed, the main rules to follow are:

1.one must register in their area of origin

2.one must register in their area of residence but not both

I therefore don't think there's a deliberate effort to disenfranchise urban voters but some of them find it inconveniencing to travel for the sake of registering and yet may not be interested in voting for leaders in the areas they live in.

The other rules I would like to add is that to qualify for registration, one must be 18 years and above and must be a citizen.

In all areas the registration exercise runs at the same time and there are supervisors to ensure this, the problem may come about when the amount of materials allocated to a given area are less than the required amounts then some people will miss registration [i.e if they came say on the last day].

Another cause is lack of publicity, most people in urban areas are too busy at their jobs and if somebody doesn't get to them so they know whats happening they may miss the exercise.

Voter apathy is also another reason why people will deliberately refuse to even participate but I have not noticed any deliberate effort to stop people from registering.

 

Dans mon pays chacun vote là où il s'est fait enregistrer. Beaucoup de personnes se déplacent pour diverses raisons notamment l'insécurité dans les villages. Au moment de l'inscription des électeurs les leaders politiques sensibilisent et mobilisent les électeurs pour se faire enrôler dans leurs villages respectifs. Ils louent des camions pour les transporter pendant la période d'inscription mais aussi pendant les srutins. Pour bien réussir il faut une grande campagne de sensibilisation auprès des migrants ou déplacés.

Urbanization indirectly affects voter registration through the following factors:

 

Many children born in rural areas lack birth certificates. Having migrated with their parents by the time they come of voting age, they may be forced to return to their place of origin, in order to obtain a birth certificate. Many first time voters lack the financial means or the time-off for travel, and thus suffer economic discrimination. The same applies to their parents, if they were not formally documented by the time they migrated. Only a centralized, and yet nation-wide networked and accessible civil register can make document issuance ubiquitously available, and thus affordable.

 

First-time-voters aside. your study could compare regulations for address changes in civil and voter registers, especially the cost, wait-time, and evidence required to do so, and whether an effective remedy by an independent and impartial tribunal is available against maladministration. Some countries require proof of residence, such as a utility bill, which can once again discriminate against anyone who is not a head-of-household, holding bills or a lease to his name. In addition to economic discrimination, you might thus detect indirect discrimination against women, youth, and informal tenants, as compared to landlords and family heads. The UN Human Rights Committee has found such discrimination in breach of article 25 of the ICCPR, stating in pertinent part in its General Comment 25, paragraph 11.

States must take effective measures to ensure that all persons entitled to vote are able to exercise that right. Where registration of voters is required, it should be facilitated and obstacles to such registration should not be imposed. If residence requirements apply to registration, they must be reasonable, and should not be imposed in such a way as to exclude the homeless from the right to vote. Any abusive interference with registration or voting as well as intimidation or coercion of voters should be prohibited by penal laws and those laws should be strictly enforced. Voter education and registration campaigns are necessary to ensure the effective exercise of article 25 rights by an informed community

.

 

It may surprise you that OSCE found that Germany's residence requirements disenfranchised the homeless. In turn, desirable ease to amend one's voting domicile must be balanced with necessary safeguards against double registration. 

 

Playing the devil's advocate, one could also make a reverse argument, namely that voter registration centers--as well as transport--are more readily accessible in urban than in remote rural areas. Legal frameworks can stipulate maximum travel distance from the remotest voter to his/her closest registration/polling center.

 

Manuel

Elections as you know is organized by the state in every country in the world. It follows therefore, that every government in Africa try as much as possible to ensure that their citizens who meet the registration requirements are registered for elections of whatever nature. 

The tricky part which might be of interest to you for your research is that some country like Zimbabwe have some requirements which indirectly disenfranchised people who live in town. For example, in the last registration, they had a requirement for one to have utilities bills in his/her name in order to be registered. This disenfranchised many youths and tenants who do not have this requirements. Who knows, some or most of those could be village migrants. It calls for research undertaking to ascertain whether majority of them were village migrant or not. 

Please, interest your self in the research report conducted by Afro Barometer research firm. They have a lot about Zimbabwe, DR Congo, Zambia, Uganda and others where such issues like the one i have mentioned above are discussed in details.

Ochana Patrick

Uganda

Hello everyone. I do not have a study to refer you to about the question you asked with regard to my country. In my country, Botswana, I can say yes and no. Yes because we use first past the post system, therefore politicians will be interested in making sure that they have as many supporters as possible in their areas, therefore they will encourage voters to register and cast their vote at their village(s). On the other hand, once the voter has moved to the city and has a place of residence there, they have a right to register and vote in the city, so in other words, they will have a choice to register either in the city or their village. As much as i agree that some politicians will encourage their home 'boys and girls' to register at their villages, it is up to the voter to decide where he/she wants to cast his or her vote, of course following requirements in the electoral act. In some instances, the politicians succeed in persuading a voter to register in his/her home village, but during voting day, some of these voters do not travel to their villages to cast their votes for various reasons which may include lack of finances to travel, work commitments, therefore they add to voter apathy. 

Firstly, I want to correct wrong information given by Patrick Ochana. I think it is not fair to comment wrongly on other countries' systems which one doesn't have knowledge on and only basing on assumptions.

The correct position is voter registration requirements in Zimbabwe don't defranchise in any manner as these are well spelt out in our constitution and Electoral Act and are well advertised through various forms of the media during the registration period for any specific election or referendum. This is also butressed by country wide voter education carried out during the same period. Not only that but it must be noted that voter registration in Zimbabwe is voluntary and continuous and that Zimbabwe has an integrated computerised civil registration system, of which the voter register is part of the database which is operated & maintained by the Registrar General's (R.G.) Department. The database system is composed of:-

 i) Voter registration (ii) Birth registration  (iii) Death registration  (iv) Citizenship registration  (v) Marriage registration  (vi) National ID and  (vii) Passports

The National ID is the pin number which links all these functions which automatically becomes the voter's number. Currently, in Zimbabwe, as soon as a baby is born a birth certificate with a National ID is obtainable within 6 wks by the parent(s) using the birthcard which is supplied by all health institutions. Even when a baby is born at home the birthcard is given on its first visit to any health institution.

Yes utility bills are one form of proof of residence in urban areas, and below is a whole list of proofs one can produce:- 

1. For Urban Dwellers:-

a) A certificate of occupation/title deeds, or

b) Lodger's card/permit

c) Rates/water/Electricity statements in applicant's name

d) Written statement from the landlord, parents or friends confirmaing the applicant's address accompanied by a house card, electricity bills, water bills, rates bills or any similar document in the name of the landlord, parent or friend staying with the applicant

e) Sworn statements/affidavit by employer of applicant confirming applicant's residence

f) Hospital bills, envelops with post markings reflecting applicant's address & any other information &/or document sufficient enough to enable the registration/inspection officer to ascertain the applicant's residence

g) Credit store statements showing the physical address of the applicant

1. For Rural Dwellers:-

 a) Confirmation letter by the village head, headman, or chief

 b) Farm owner or

 c) Resettlement Officer

Voter Qualifications are as follows:-

  1) Eighteen (18) years of age & above

  2) A citizen of in the constituency or ward concerned

Requirements on voting day are:-

  1) A Zimbabwean national registration card (metal/synthetic) (i.D.) or legible national registration green (waiting) pass with the picture of the holder on it; or

  2) A valid Zimbabwean passport, with holder's national identity number (I.D. No.). 

Just as others above have said people in Zimbabwe are free to register from where ever as long as one has supplied the required details hich when punched into the R.G's system will be automatically updated. All one needs to do on voting day will be to go and vote from the constituency or ward one is registered.

For voter education, the EMB also trains and register and supervise other organisations interested in carrying out voter education. Before any major election there is mobile voter registration carried out throughout the country to ensure that those who wouldn't have had a chance to get to the Provincial or District Offices willhave easy access to the registration centres and these are also advertised in good time & information is also provided through voter education throughout the period of mobile registration. The mobile registration will also provide registration of National I.Ds and birth certificates. Political parties are also encouraged to voter educate their supporters and encourage them to go and register to vote as this is in their best interest.

I hope this will help you to understand our system. 

 

Firstly, I want to correct wrong information given by Patrick Ochana. I think it is not fair to comment wrongly on other countries' systems which one doesn't have knowledge on and only basing on assumptions.

The correct position is voter registration requirements in Zimbabwe don't defranchise in any manner as these are well spelt out in our constitution and Electoral Act and are well advertised through various forms of the media during the registration period for any specific election or referendum. This is also butressed by country wide voter education carried out during the same period. Not only that but it must be noted that voter registration in Zimbabwe is voluntary and continuous and that Zimbabwe has an integrated computerised civil registration system, of which the voter register is part of the database which is operated & maintained by the Registrar General's (R.G.) Department. The database system is composed of:-

 i) Voter registration (ii) Birth registration  (iii) Death registration  (iv) Citizenship registration  (v) Marriage registration  (vi) National ID and  (vii) Passports

The National ID is the pin number which links all these functions which automatically becomes the voter's number. Currently, in Zimbabwe, as soon as a baby is born a birth certificate with a National ID is obtainable within 6 wks by the parent(s) using the birthcard which is supplied by all health institutions. Even when a baby is born at home the birthcard is given on its first visit to any health institution.

Yes utility bills are one form of proof of residence in urban areas, and below is a whole list of proofs one can produce:- 

1. For Urban Dwellers:-

a) A certificate of occupation/title deeds, or

b) Lodger's card/permit

c) Rates/water/Electricity statements in applicant's name

d) Written statement from the landlord, parents or friends confirmaing the applicant's address accompanied by a house card, electricity bills, water bills, rates bills or any similar document in the name of the landlord, parent or friend staying with the applicant

e) Sworn statements/affidavit by employer of applicant confirming applicant's residence

f) Hospital bills, envelops with post markings reflecting applicant's address & any other information &/or document sufficient enough to enable the registration/inspection officer to ascertain the applicant's residence

g) Credit store statements showing the physical address of the applicant

1. For Rural Dwellers:-

 a) Confirmation letter by the village head, headman, or chief

 b) Farm owner or

 c) Resettlement Officer

Voter Qualifications are as follows:-

  1) Eighteen (18) years of age & above

  2) A citizen of in the constituency or ward concerned

Requirements on voting day are:-

  1) A Zimbabwean national registration card (metal/synthetic) (i.D.) or legible national registration green (waiting) pass with the picture of the holder on it; or

  2) A valid Zimbabwean passport, with holder's national identity number (I.D. No.). 

Just as others above have said people in Zimbabwe are free to register from where ever as long as one has supplied the required details hich when punched into the R.G's system will be automatically updated. All one needs to do on voting day will be to go and vote from the constituency or ward one is registered.

For voter education, the EMB also trains and register and supervise other organisations interested in carrying out voter education. Before any major election there is mobile voter registration carried out throughout the country to ensure that those who wouldn't have had a chance to get to the Provincial or District Offices willhave easy access to the registration centres and these are also advertised in good time & information is also provided through voter education throughout the period of mobile registration. The mobile registration will also provide registration of National I.Ds and birth certificates. Political parties are also encouraged to voter educate their supporters and encourage them to go and register to vote as this is in their best interest.

I hope this will help you to understand our system. 

 

In Ethiopia, voter registration is conducted whenever there is election/s - no permanent registration. Registration is carried out at each polling station. For a person to be registered as a voter, he/she must be of age 18 and above, resident of that locality. Any document such as identity card, driving license, which verify that the person is resident of the locality, can be considered as evidence. In case if a person lacks such documents, public observers can be witnesses for being a resident. In Ethiopia, exclusion is not a problem.

L'inscription des électeurs est dans notre pays laissé à l'appréciation souveraine des personnes qui désirent s'inscrire sur les listes électorales en fonction de leur lieu de résidence et de l'importance de l'élection, selon qu'il s'agit d'une élection nationale(présidentielle ou législatives) ou d'une élection locale (communes ou communautés rurales). Dans la pratique, les citoyens en age de voter s'inscrivent généralement dans les circonscriptions ou se trouve leur lieu de travail ou de résidence à titre principal pour éviter de faire de longs déplacements le jour du scrutin. Généralement les populations qui quittent les campagnes pour les grands centres urbains y domicilient leur inscriptions ; cependant, il arrive que voulant prendre une part active dans la vie politique de leur localité, ils décident de modifier leur inscription soit volontairement, soit sous l'influence de responsables politiques qui voulant diriger leur collectivité locale encourage ce type de migration qui est appelé chez nous "transfert d'électeurs". Pour décourager de telles pratiques, des dispositions de notre code électoral réglementent ce type de transfert en dressant des contraintes tel que la production de certificat de résidence ou la production de facture d'eau ou d'électricité  ou un certificat d'imposition pour prouver son attachement à la circonscription ou on veut domicilier son inscription.