Identify Relevant Information
When planning for voter registration, it is essential to identify what kind of information
will be necessary for the successful completion of the voter registration process. The
information which must be collected is usually established by the constitution or electoral
legislation. Other facts that might be required will vary. The literacy rate, for example, may
affect whether a signature is a key element of registration. Likewise, a decision on whether
voter registration cards will be used may affect the kind of information gathered and, in
particular, whether an identifying feature like a photograph or the voter's fingerprint will be
used.
Despite these differences from one setting to another, there are certain common elements of
information that would be gathered at any voter registration event. These include the names and
residential addresses (if any) of the voters and their citizenship status. In addition, there is a
need to know the ages, or dates of birth, of the voters, in part to ensure they meet the minimum
voting age.
Although it is not necessarily essential to the voter registration exercise, data on the voter's
gender also is normally recorded. Some countries require gender to be recorded, but this is
usually a requirement of the law, not a bureaucratic innovation. At times this information may
be more difficult to collect because of privacy concerns. Date of birth and gender often are used
as means of verifying the accuracy of the information gathered in the registration procedure and
for detecting duplicate registrations.
A Plan of Action
Once the information that must be gathered has been determined, election administrators can
move on to the development of a detailed plan of action. This plan usually takes into
consideration such factors as:
- number of citizens that are eligible for registration
- geographic and demographic characteristics of the country or electoral division
- length of time that should be required for the completion of each registration
- whether computerization will be used, and if so, for which aspects of the registration
- logistical arrangements needed to support the various aspects of the registration
- number of enumerators or other information gathering personnel
- number and location of data entry personnel where computers are used
- recording personnel where physical records are used
- supervisory personnel
In addition, during the development of a plan of action, the central election administration can
begin to determine the training sessions that will be required for successful implementation
of the plan. This usually includes the kinds of materials that must be produced for personnel
training. And, of course, the plan will include production of material for the registration itself,
such as registration forms, reminder cards, mail-in cards, and data entry record forms.
Data Gathering Procedures
Data for registration using periodic lists may be gathered in a variety of ways, and the plan
of action must reflect a clear decision on the options selected. Will the data be gathered
door-to-door by enumerators, for example, or will registration centres be established, which
voters must visit in order to register? Or will registration be possible through the mail, either as
the only option or as a back-up to enumeration or registration centres. Will the registration take
place in a face-to-face context, and if not how will the election authorities be able to confirm
that the information is accurate and valid? What kind of identification will be required to
confirm voters' identities? Will voter registration cards be issued, and if so what will be the
characteristics of the card? Will it include a photograph? Will it be laminated, and if so will hot
or cold lamination processes be used?
Data Storage
Once the data has been gathered, there is a need to provide secure storage for it. One obvious
method is to use a computerized database storage system. Data is transferred from the voter
registration forms to computerized files. These files can then be used to produce voter
registration cards as well as the voters list. Alternatively, the voters list may be assembled by
handwriting the list, typing it, and then sorting it according to various criteria (e.g.,
alphabetically or by street address). Appropriate precautions will maintain a secure environment
for the computerized files or for the hard-copy records.
A more challenging but equally important task is the need for storage of source documentation,
such as voters' fingerprints, signatures and photographs. These documents often play a vital role
in verifying the accuracy of the list, and serve as the legal verification of voter registration. In
addition, there may be a need to transfer the computerized files from the local election authority
to the central election authority for the final compilation of the voters lists. Where
computerization is not used, there may still be a need to transfer the data from the voter
registration forms to the voters list, often with the intermediate step of producing a preliminary
voters list. Suitable secure storage arrangements will be required both for the registration forms
and the voters lists.
Keep it Simple, but Secure
When planning for a large scale, comprehensive voter registration drive, which often occurs in a
short period of time leading up to an election or during the election campaign, usually there will
be much interest in the openness and transparency of the system used. A rule of thumb, then, is
to keep the procedures simple and observe reasonable security precautions. The voter
registration form itself should be simple and straight forward, and should not be a literacy test or
a competency test. It is simply intended to gather basic information and to ensure that the voter
is eligible. The sheer magnitude of the voter registration process and the inevitable time
pressure involved will be challenging enough. The simpler the procedures that are employed,
therefore, the more likely that the task will not prove overwhelming.
The Ghana Case Study
In preparation for the voter registration drive of 1995, the Electoral Commission of Ghana
produced a manual (see Electoral Commission of Ghana - Voter Registration Official's Manual) that described in some detail the process to be used in
registering voters through registration centres. This manual serves as a useful reference for the
design and implementation of similar registration initiatives.
