Registro de electores

Topic IndexDisadvantages

The disadvantages of the periodic list include:

The periodic list has a significant cost spike. The costs of registering voters is highly focused during the registration period, rather than being spread throughout the electoral cycle (that is, in the full period between elections).

With the entire voter registration process focused on a relatively short time frame, the risk to disruption due to unpredictable weather events or political events is increased.

The periodic list, particularly when used in Westminster-style parliamentary elections, provides a short time frame for gathering information and making necessary changes. It is often the case that a rushed job, dictated by the imperative of completing the preliminary and final voters list in preparation for the election campaign, and the election itself, leads to a compromise on the quality of the information and the list.

The periodic list may require a longer campaign period, if the list is being constructed during the campaign.

The spikes in developing a periodic list can be difficult for some governments to absorb. Governments can often handle modest increases in budgets. However, the funds and resources needed to properly carry out a periodic registration can severely strain an already overstretched government budget.

The processing of all voter registration data, collected over a short time frame, places heavy burdens on other support areas, such as data entry, or information processing. The period of time it takes to perform data entry sometimes requires that the registration take place well in advance of the election. This may result in persons who turn 18 after registration takes place and before the election to be disenfranchised unless corrective steps are taken to include them in the voter register.