This question is posted by ACE on behalf of Ababacar Fall

Question

My country Senegal wants to establish a system that combines the national identity card and voter registration card, so it will be merged into a single smart card. Are there examples of other countries that practice the same thing? What are the advantages, disadvantages and limitations of such a system?

Mon pays le senegal veut instituer un système qui combine la carte nationale d'identité et la carte d'électeur qui vont être fusionnées en une seule carte à puce . Y'a t'il des exemples de pays qui pratiquent la même chose ?  Quels sont les avantages, les inconvénients et les limites d'un tel système ?

Summary of Replies

Practitioner's Network members first provided the advantages and disadvantages of having a combined ID voter registration card system. They then provided structural examples of states that implemented that type of system, and the systemic conditions that made it possible for institutional implementation. The general consensus was that if a country has the financial means and technological security to implement a dual national ID/voter card system, it should, but it's a dangerous idea for application in developing countries who can't police the polls as well.

Advantages of the Combined System

• It is integrative and cost effective in regards to national implementation 
• It's convenient to citizens 
• It has the potential to reduce the practice of voter card racketeering 

Disadvantages of the Combined System

• Confusion when the National ID age isn't the same as voting age
• If security is weak, there is higher potential for violations of voting rule violations
• Potential for abuse of private data

National Examples

• In Argentina the Ministry of The Interior issues a National Identity Card with personal data, photo and finger prints. The database of the National Persons Registry is sent to the Electoral Justice to elaborate the electoral roll, so there is a perfect match between name, address, data and photo of each voter both in its personal ID card and the electoral roll. They register the vote on the electoral roll and hand out a personalized paper receipt that certifies the vote.
• In Poland there is no need to distinguish between personal ID and voters' cards because civic register is well managed (all births, deaths, marital status changes and permanent emigrations plus all penalized with legal rights suspension are immediately centrally registered) and harmonized with EMB. No one who is not eligible will appear in the electoral register hence no need to produce double documents. The personal ID card is enough to cast the vote. The only exemption is for those who want to vote in the place different from the permanent address.
• In Bulgaria, for over 40 years there was a national register based on the Scandinavian model used for production of voters list. Now there is a very strong civil society movement for elaboration of the voters' register, to be used for a major constituency re-bordering. It is also said that it may trigger higher turnout through local level mobilization.
• In France the voting card is separate from the civil registry but in Belgium there is no voter card and election lists are set up from the national register, ie from the central population register, unique across the country and currently computerized. It is noted that this system existed long before the computer age. Voter lists are established from manuscripts of each municipality. The electoral roll is 6 months before the election dates requiring persons who relocated after this date to vote in their former commune. Even if the delay was made necessary due to the transcription of records by hand at the time, computerization has not changed it, since the existing texts retain the force of law. It must be understood that the voting card never existed in Belgium and that the identity card signs the vote. Indeed in France a voter possessing his voting card without his ID associated is also not admissible and the vote can not be accepted. 
• In Zambia, there are two different documents, mostly because the age for acquiring the different documents are different: national ID is 16 while voters card is 18. The national ID is also a pre-requsite to acquiring the voters card as it proves nationality. On poll day, a voter has to come to the polling station and present both the national ID and voter's card for them to be able to vote. It's a kind of security and verification feature of the electoral process. 
• For Colombia there is a database of the Civil Registry of people (all Colombians), another database of Columbians over 18 years old (who are issued ID's), and a database of voter registration and electoral rolls (contains people who can vote and vote with amendments and updates). The latter is used for elections in which people using national ID's are compared to their roll registration.
• Mauritania established the electoral register on the basis of citizens 18 years and over, extracted from the biometric File ID card. For each election cycle, CENI Mauritania conducts voter registration with registration manual records based on the presentation of biometric identification card. These registers are computerized after entering the number of the identity card and after data verification, the voter is assigned to a location and vote in a polling station.
• Sierra Leone is exploring the possibility of merging the voter ID card with the national ID. It is up for debate considering the legal framework of both institutions and the possibility of other political parties questioning its implementation- the fear that the process is a possible tool to disadvantage other interest groups in the electoral process.
• South Africa has started this year 2014 to use a Smart Card that has both functions. The smart card is used as a national identity card and also as a voter registration card.

Countries Explored

• Argentina
• Poland
• Bulgaria
• France 
• Belgium
• Zambia
• Columbia
• Mauritania
• Sierra Leone
• South Africa

Contributing Members

• Charles Obot
• Alejandro Tullio
• Abdirisak Said Nur
• Barbara Lidia Szlefarska
• Rumiana Decheva
• Anne Calcagni
• Nchimunya Michelo Silenga
• Francisco Barrera
• Abdul Aziz Mbond
• Mutiso Mbithi Justus
• Clement Aganathi
• Momoh Mohamed Kanneh
• Nditsheni Neswiswi
• Hadija Miiro

External Sources

• http://aceproject.org/electoral-advice/ace-workspace/questions/open-questions/849856595/669719882/Combining-Civil-and-Voter-Registrations-Advantages.pdf
• http://www.nuevodni.gov.ar/inicio/index.php

In Argentina the Ministry of The Interior issues a National Identity Card with personal data, photo and finger prints. The database of the  National Persons Registry is sent to the Electoral Justice to ellaborate the electoral roll, so there is a perfect match between name, address, data and photo of each voter both in its personal id card and the electoral roll.

We register the vote on the electoral roll and hand out a personalized paper receipt that certifies the vote.

For further information see http://www.nuevodni.gov.ar/inicio/index.php

Yes there are a lot of countries that uses particularly in Europe and Latin America.

On the basis of the legal framework it is the sole responsibility of the EMB to ensure that those who are eligible to vote are facilitated to vote, the advantages of compiling voter and civil registry is cost effectiveness but in disadvantage side, there are a lot of concerns that may raise where democracy is not reliable by its citizens such as the independence, completeness, accuracy, and integrity of the voter register data.

In this regard I would recommend there is a need for strong and effective legal framework establishment to address all the above concerns and to ensure civil registry data are free from any kind interference. 

Yes, agree, the civic register is the key to success. In my country there is no need to distinguish between personal ID and voter's card because civic register is well managed (all births, deaths, marital status changes and permanent emigrations plus all penalized with legal rights suspension are immediately centrally registered) and harmonized with EMB. No one who is not eligible will not appear in the electoral register hence no need to produce double documents, the peronal ID card is enough to cast the vote. The only exemption is for those who want to vote in the place different from the permanent address. One point: in personal ID the permanent address should be put (always declared when applying for ID).

Social trust is a compeletely different issue. You may put all political parties agents when creating the voters' register and still somebody will doubt its clarity. Here the EMB is apolitical and consists from judges delegated for 6 years by National High Court, Administrative Court and Constitutional Court and the fact that their appointment is longer than any politial fraction on the scene does indicate certain nautrality

Barbara Szlefarska, Poland

The process goes both ways: from a single register to differentiated registers and vice versa, depending on the deeds of the country. Would say that not the numbet of the case but rather the effectivenes of the meaures is what matters.

Important, in my asessment, is the relevance of the decision for enforcement of the principles of universal suffrage with guaranteed freedom of political choices.

The civil register, as such, serves the state to keep track of their citizens, be the basis for issuance of ID, estimate needs for a range of population services. Typically, in countries with les flexibility in reflecting on changes, with history in use of family books and other aggregated forms of records, there is an “anchor” of the data which is in place of birth, family roots or property.

The election register has distinctly different purpose: enables EMB to prepare operation, to keep track of voters within their constituency, be prove of the voter that is registered for specific PS or constituency.

There are ways to combine those roster and many countries do it. Others, based on up to date data, issue voters cards and mail to voters prior to elections. All depends on administrative capacity, technological equipment combined with ability of those working with it, sound report between EMB and legislation, for delimitation of constituencies, securing equal weight of every vote.

On the one hand, in a number of countries not only in Africa, political and ethnic rivalries lead to “opening” of otherwise porous borders in elections periods. National registry may limit such practices.

Locally available and manageable elections register, different from other national data, allows for more active and vivid local engagement of local EMB and citizens, stimulates local control and activities in general and contributes to better transparency and involvement.

In my home country, Bulgaria, for over 40 years there is national register on Scandinavian model used for production of voters list. Now there is a very strong civil society movement for elaboration of voters register, to be used for a major constituncy re-bordering. It i also said, that it may trigger higher turnout through local level mobiliation.

National level analysis, in collaboration with EMB, civil society and all other election stakeholders, assessing the experience of other countries, is the best way for every country.

En France la carte d'électeur est établie à partir du registre d'état civil mais en Belgique chez mon confrère Louis Lohlé Tart (contributeur sur ce forum mais indisponible aujourd'hui) il n'existe pas de carte d'électeur et les listes électorales sont dressées à partir du registre national RN, c'est à dire à partir du registre de population centralisé, UNIQUE à l'échelle du pays et informatisé.Il est à noter que ce système existait bien avant l'ère de l'informatique, les listes électorales étant instituées à partir des registres manuscrits de chaque commune. Les listes électorales sont établies 6 mois avant la dates des élections obligeant les personnes ayant déménagées après cette date à aller voter dans leur ancienne commune. Même si ce délai était rendu nécessaire du fait de la transcription "à la main" des registres à l'époque, l'informatisation n'a rien changé car les textes en vigueur gardent force de loi... 

Post-scriptum: on aura compris que la carte d'électeur n'a jamais existé en Belgique et que la carte d'identité signe le vote. A vrai dire en France une carte d'électeur sans sa carte d'identité associée n'est d'ailleurs pas recevable et le vote ne peut être retenu.

In Zambia, we have two different documents mostly because the age for acquiring the different documents are different ie National ID is 16 while voters card is 18. The national ID is also a pre-requsite to acquiring the voters card as it proves nationality. On pol day, a voter has to come to the polling station and present both the national ID and voters card for them to be able to vote. Its a kind of security and verification feature of our electoral process.  As Senagal, you will have to study the matter and learn from other countries' experiences.

Para el caso colombiano (que es similar al de muchos países), existe una base de datos del Registro Civil de personas (todos los colombianos y su hoja de vida), existe otra base de datos de los mayores de 18 años a los cuales se les expide un documento de identificación y existe la base de datos del registro de electores o censo electoral  (contiene las personas que pueden votar y votan con las modificaciones y actualizaciones ), este último es el utilizado para las elecciones,  como es un subconjunto de los datos los votantes se identifican con el ID nacional (cedula de ciudadanía), al momento de votar, las modificaciones de Ley se hacen sobre las bases de datos de Registro Civil e Identificación ciudadana, con lo cual se excluyen del cencos electoral.

Como generalmente estos productos son adquiridos a terceros, mi recomendación es que en la normatividad y contratación se debe ser claro, en qué datos son reservados, a quien le pertenecen, de esta información, que se entrega a los partidos políticos, cuales son los derechos de acceso a la información y por quien o que autoridad son ejercidos.

Salut Ababacar,

Je pense qu'il y a plus d'avantages, en tout cas sur le plan de la gestion, que d’inconvénients. On pourrait même aussi combiner d'autres documents mais c'est toute une autre histoire.

Ici ce qui est important c'est d'avoir un registre d'état civil consolidé dans lequel chaque citoyen sera identifié une et une seule fois. Le registre devra aussi être apuré au fur et à mesure que les décès sont déclarés. Le travail de l'OGE dans cette situation sera simplifié et on aura très peu sinon pas de doublons.

En Europe et dans certains pays Arabes tel que le Qatar, le système est ainsi conçu. Je pense que l'Afrique du Sud aussi utilise un système pareil mais il faut vérifier.

As much as it may be a cost effective to combine civil and voter registrations to a single card, I can foresee more spending in the technology/system that handles these. After the combination of the two, think about a voter who relocates, because in the case of the voters card you will effect a transfer on the national register and issue a new card for the other polling station. So what happens if then your cards are combined? Do you perhaps implement online voting along the marched card to solve the problems of relocation? How also do you deal with those who have either committed election offenses  and you need to de-register them? Do they also lose the national ID? Food for thought.

Ne pas confondre registre de population (le stock) avec le registre d'état civil (le flux)...ce sont deux choses différentes. Un registre de population ne peut PAS être initialisé par un registre d'état civil mais uniquement par un recensement. A supposer, par exemple, qu'on tienne absolument à créer à partir de 2014 un registre d'état civil consolidé en guise de registre de population : il faudra attendre 2032 pour y trouver un premier électeur de 18 ans et 2074 pour avoir une liste des électeurs adultes de moins de 60 ans ( en supposant que l'état civil soit exhaustif dès 2014).

Un registre de population à tout moment est tenu à jour à partir des naissances et des décès de l'état civil (en temps réel par le biais de l'informatique ou sinon selon les délais administratifs de la législation en vigueur dans le pays).

"L'EXISTANT" doit nécessairement provenir d'une source d'observation de la population totale(RECENSEMENT) pour suppléer à l'ignorance des naissances et des décès du passé. 

On est certainement d'accord sur le fond ...mais simplement veiller à la rigueur du vocabulaire!

Bonne journée à tous

Dr Louis Lohlé Tart 

Bonjour M. FALL

Mon avis à votre requête:

Il s'agit de deux cartes qui ont des fonctions distinctes:

1- La Carte d'Identité sert à Identifier les citoyens d'un pays et cela peut avoir une dureé de vie de plusieurs années

2-La Carte d’Électeur sert à un citoyen à identifier son Lieu de vote, son Bureau de Vote  et son numéro d'ordre sur la liste des électeurs dans le Bureau de Vote. Ces informations devant figurées sur sa carte d'électeur. 

La Carte d'électeur n'est pas permanente et évolue selon les types d'élections et les circonscriptions électorales (nationale, législatives.  

A moins de figer pour la même durée de vie que la carte d'Identité ces informations concernant le vote sur la carte,  je ne vois pas comment on peut fusionner ces deux cartes!

Sachant que l'électeur peut changer de bureau de vote , que selon le type de vote il peut changer de lieu de vote etc...

Par contre rien n'oblige l'Etat du Sénégal à faire des cartes d'électeur avec des cartes à puces! La carte d'électeur peut être faite sur des supports en papier sécurisés qui peut être visées le jour du vote avec la signature ou l'empreinte de son doigt. Les cartes plastiques ne le permettent pas sauf à y faire des trous.

Aussi je vous conseille de regarder de près l’expérience de la Mauritanie qui établit le fichier électoral sur la base des 18 ans et plus , extraits du Fichier biométrique de la Carte d'identité.

A chaque cycle électoral, la CENI de la Mauritanie,  effectue le recensement électoral avec des registres manuels d'inscription basée sur la présentation de la carte d'identité biométrique.

Ces registres sont informatises après en saisissant le n° de la Carte d'Identité et après vérification des données, l'électeur est affecté dans un Lieu de Vote et dans un Bureau de Vote.

L'avantage d'un tel système est d'avoir pour chaque cycle électoral un  fichier à jour sans les personnes décédées et les  personnes absentes du territoire.

Ma conclusion : C'est une aberration de vouloir cumulée les deux cartes sauf si tout le Sénégal dispose d'équipement de lecture/encodage des cartes à puces dans chaque bureau de vote!

Clément AGANAHI

In my my country- Nigeria,  the electorate have to physically present themselves to cast their vote. In fact, Nigeriansdo not have the 'luxury' of electronic voting. Moreover, duly registered voters so far cannot vote outside where they registered. However, it is hoped that in forthcoming general elections in 2015 registered voters would be able to transfer their voting point, but they are expected to apply in advance of general election to be able to vote outside where they were originally registered.

In my country Sierra Leone, we are exploring the possibility of merging both our voters ID card with the National ID. There are issues with it, considering the following: the Legal Framework of both institutions, the possibility of other political parties questioning its implementation- the fear that the process is a possible tool to disadvantage other interest groups in the electoral process. However considering all the advantages associated with it, i am advising that your electoral Commission look into the laws relating to the registering of voters for electoral purpose. I don't know whether your CENI is responsible for given out both cards as the sole institution, if not so, then i will advise that your institution look into the following of the other institution: 1) Data base  2) Legal Framework and the capacity of the other institution. Remember your institution have got different mandate with regard to the issuance of Voters ID, your institution will possibly be confronted with the issue of compromising your neutrality.   

This response is posted by ACE on behalf of Nditsheni Neswiswi, Electoral Commission of South Africa

My country South Africa has started this year 2014  to use a Smart Card that has both functions.

The smart card is used as a National Identity Card and also as a Voter Registration Card.

As I am already on the voters roll, when voting for the 2014 National and Provincial Elections, I also used the same smart card.

The Department of Home Affairs is gradually phasing out the Green Bar Coded Identification Document and replacing it with a Smart Card that has both functions.

 Advantages/ disadvantages or limitations of the system:

I think it is too early to can tell except to say that with the  Green Bar Coded Identification Document, you are able to check the sticker on page 2 of the document if a voter is not on the voters roll and he or she wants to participate in elections.  

If the sticker is there and the eligible voter registered before proclamation, he or she can participate in elections. That facility is not there when using a smart card as the sticker is placed in a separate diary or booklet. 

Regards,

Nditsheni Neswiswi

Electoral Commission of South Africa

Tel: 015 283 9104

Cell: 082 650 8650

Fax: 015 283 9178

Email: [email protected]

Please find attached an article I authored from my analysis of the advantages and limitations of combining civil and voter registration in both developed and developing countries. I was also a member of the African Panel of International Experts on Voter Registration and the publication by EISA which you can obtain from their website will provide invaluable information on the subject. Additionally refer to the IFES write up on "Civil and Voter Registries- Lessons Learned"

Hadija Nassanga Miiro