Voter registration and accurate voter rolls are essential parts of any democratic election process. Maintaining accurate voter rolls requires careful procedures to register only eligible voters and remove ineligible voters. It also requires transparency measures to ensure public confidence. Effective voter registration requires both inclusive policies to encourage participation, as well as measures to prevent fraud and manipulation. Proper polling and counting procedures are also important to ensure a free and fair election.

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VOTER ROLL, POLL AND COUNTS:
BEYOND NUMBER GAME
Gopal Krishna Siwakoti, PhD
Secretary General
National Election Observation Committee (NEOC)
Third Asian Electoral Stakeholders Forum
22-26 August 2016, Bali, Indonesia
A. VOTER REGISTRATION
1. Why Voter Registration
Voter registration (VR) accomplishes several critical functions. It is the first step to secure voter’s
right to franchise.1 VR brings eligible people into the election process, ensures the equality of the
vote and prevents ineligible people from voting. It provides an opportunity for claims and
objections about voter eligibility and provides information about how many people are eligible
to vote and how they are distributed around the country. VR is crucial for political participation
in a democratic context. There must be a guarantee that the right to participate in elections is
universal, equal, direct and secret.
The use of biometric VR (BVR) technology can be far from successful if the conditions are not
right. A thorough needs assessment and feasibility study is essential before deciding to introduce
biometric technology in either VR or verification. The various challenges and the time required
to implement such technology should not be underestimated. A country’s legal framework must
also be taken into account2.
VR is an important tool to determine voter eligibility, to ensure that only eligible voters can vote.
The following are the key components of VR from both the end of the cycle:
- Participation
- Transparency
- Planning
- Delimitation
- De-facto Identity document
- Fraud Mitigation
- Voter education
- Cost
- Time
1
‘The franchise is the means through which the governed agree to delegate their authority to those who govern’
Read more at: ‘Information Technology and Elections Management - EC-UNDP’ available at www.ec-undp-
electoralassistance.org/index

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Understanding VR Data Flow
Source: http://aceproject.org/ace-en/topics/vr/onePage
2. VR – Beyond Number Game
a. Principle of Equal Access (Justice)
- The right to vote at elections and referendums must be established by law.
- Independently established
- A minimum age limit is a reasonable restriction.
- It is unreasonable to restrict the right to vote on the ground of physical disability or to
impose literacy, educational or property requirements.
- Mental incapacity is a ground for denying a person the right to vote.
b. Principle of Equal Opportunity (Fairness)
- Civil and political rights are to be respected without distinction of any kind, such as race,
color, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property,
birth or other status.
- There are consistent legal provisions governing eligibility with respect to citizenship, age
residence and temporary absence.
- The established age of majority (usually 18) is the minimum age for voting.
c. Significance of the Voter Registration
- The registration of voters should enable eligible citizens to exercise their right to vote on
Election Day.
- Developing and maintaining an accurate voter register and producing reliable voter lists
for each polling station can be extremely complex.
- The accuracy and completeness of the voter register is of critical importance, as non-
registration prevents citizens from enjoying their right to vote and therefore inhibits
universality suffrage.

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d. Creating the Voter Register
- The procedures in place should ensure that all eligible electors are able to vote.
- It must be ensured that only eligible electors are able to vote.
- Adequate measures are taken to prevent multiple registration that could lead to multiple
voting
- Procedures should also be in place to ensure the removal of the names of deceased
persons and the inclusion of newly eligible voters.
e. Procedures for Voter Registration
- Voter registration procedures should be clearly stipulated in law.
- The registration process should be secure and reliable.
- The voter register does not need to include personal data other than that which is
required to identify a voter and establish eligibility.
- Suffrage for minorities and internally displaced persons (IDPs) should be guaranteed.
f. Ensuring Public Confidence
- The public should have confidence in the accuracy of the voter register.
- The authorities should ensure that the preliminary and final voter registers are published,
and that copies are available for public inspection to allow checks for inaccuracies and
omissions.
- Where there are strong allegations or evidence of exclusion, inconsistencies and
inaccuracies in the voter register, the authorities should take constructive and
transparent steps to improve its quality.
h. Ensuring Universal Suffrage
- States must take effective measures to ensure that all persons entitled to vote are able
to exercise that right.
- There should be no fees, taxes or other costs related to citizens being registered to vote.
- There should be consistent legal provisions for the method of registration, registration
timetable, and documentation to prove eligibility, registration forms and the format of
the register.
- The VR should be effectively updated so that newly eligible voters are included and
recently deceased persons are removed.3
i. Key Questions for Considerations
 Are the voter registration procedures detailed in law?
 Are restrictions on registration (such as on residence) reasonable?
 Does the procedural framework provide the opportunity for all eligible citizens to be
registered as voters?
 Is there an effective civic education campaign in place for voter registration?
 Is the preliminary voter register/list available for public inspection?
3
VR - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voter_registration

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 Are effective opportunities and remedies available for identified inaccuracies and
omissions to be corrected?
 Is data on the number of registered voters published?
 Are minorities registered in numbers proportional to their share of the population? If not,
why not?
 Where applicable, are effective measures in place to ensure registration of IDPs?
 Where applicable, are effective out-of-country registration procedures in place to ensure
registration of expatriate citizens, including refugees?
3. Facts, Concept and Activities
A. General Overview of VR Process
The right of all adult citizens to participate in the affairs of their government is one of the
cornerstones of democracy. Perhaps, the most fundamental form of participation is voting in free
and fair elections. For citizens to exercise their democratic right to vote there must be a
comprehensive and inclusive electoral register, also called a voters list; and this must be carefully
maintained to ensure that each eligible citizen is registered to vote only once. A voters list makes
it possible to separate two of the most important functions of the election authority: verifying
voter eligibility and controlling the legitimacy of the balloting process. The list may also be used
in voter education, and may be provided to political parties and candidates to aid them in their
campaigns. Voters list is an optional process and elections may proceed without it. However, a
voters list offers advantages that readily justify its use.4
By confirming that voters have met all eligibility requirements, a credible voters' list helps confer
legitimacy on the electoral process. Conversely, the legitimacy of the process will immediately be
called into question if there are problems with voter registration, and particularly with the
integrity of the voters list. Voter registration therefore is one of the most important process in
election administration.5
B. Understanding Guiding Principles of VR
VR is the process of verifying potential voters, and entering their names and other substantiating
information on a voters list. For registration to be fair, comprehensive and inclusive, potential
voters must be aware of the registration process and should have reasonable opportunity to
complete it. Voter education campaigns foster the necessary awareness by emphasizing the
importance of registration, explaining citizens’ responsibilities in becoming registered, and
presenting information on how to complete the registration process.6
4
http://aceproject.org/ace-en/focus/procurement/voter-registration-and-information-communications/voter-
registration
5
VR - ACE Electoral Knowledge Network, aceproject.org/ace-en/focus/procurement/voter-registration
6
VR , www.aceproject.org

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Registration must be inclusive – that is, accessible to all groups and categories of eligible citizens.
There should be no systemic bias against any identifiable group. However, social or economic
status makes registration more difficult for some citizens, such as residents of rural areas, people
with low literacy levels, people who are economically disenfranchised or homeless and people
who face cultural biases against their participation in politics and public affairs (e.g. women)
Special measures may be required to break down barriers and make the registration system truly
open to these groups, enabling them to take part in the democratic process. Electoral exclusion
works through formal as well as informal mechanisms; dealing with them takes bona fide efforts
on the part of electoral administrators.
C. Auditing Issues of Critical Concern
i. Avoiding Voter Registration Fraud
VR is one of the stages at which there are ample opportunities to manipulate election results. For
this reason special efforts should be made to ensure that the voters list is accurate and reliable.
Accuracy in this case means that all eligible voters are listed without. Creating and maintaining
an accurate voters list requires safeguards and a system of checks and balances. Hence, it is vital
to keep lists up to date, and eliminate duplicate registrations and names of voters who have
moved out of the electoral district. Further, close monitoring and effective implementation of
voter registration provisions in the legislation is equally critical in preventing voter registration
frauds and maintaining accuracy in voters lists.7
ii. Ensuring Only Eligible Voters Register
Political parties and candidates often go to great lengths to ensure that their supporters register
to vote. They may offer incentives, such as transportation to registration sites or promises of
benefits for the area should they win the election. Some parties and candidates go so far as to
encourage people to register in an electoral district where they do not reside, or to register even
if they are not eligible to vote. Some persons who are not citizens or are under age may try to
register. Others may try to register more than once. Most systems deter and prevent such abuses
by requiring proof of identity or citizenship; this is particularly common in countries with a lack
of trust in the electoral process or a history of voter fraud. However, integrity may be at risk if
the need to prove identity becomes so burdensome that it turns away potential voters. These
problems can be avoided by requiring voters to show their existing documents such as a national
ID card, birth certificate or passport that they may already have or that are easily available.
Additionally, there should also be process for people whose papers/ identity documents were
destroyed in war or never issued by the government.8
7
A Credible Voters Register Is Essential For Free And Fair Elections
https://www.modernghana.com/.../a-credible-voters-register-is-essential-for-free-and-fair-elections
8
Avoiding VR Fraud, aceproject.org/ace-en/topics/ei/eif/eif06/eif06b/

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iii. VR Cards and Accuracy of Lists
Since voters' list is used on Election Day to determine who can vote, the list must be accurate and
protected against possible tampering. Along with recording names on the list, some systems issue
a card to each voter on registration. The card proves that the person has applied to register and
that the application has been accepted. The voter must produce this card at the polls in order to
vote.
iv. Enforcing Registration Law
Enforcement of registration rules and anti-fraud provisions helps maintain a clean and accurate
voters list. In almost every electoral system, it is illegal to falsify voters' lists. Voter registration
establishes the eligibility of individuals to cast a ballot. As one of the more costly, time-consuming
and complex aspects of the electoral process, it often accounts for a considerable portion of the
budget, staff time and resources of an election authority. If conducted well, voter registration
confers legitimacy on the process. If the registration system is flawed, the entire process may be
perceived as illegitimate.
v. Political Equality and Inclusiveness
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.
D. Biometric Technology and VR
Biometric technology is very effective in electoral processes and of course produces good results,
especially in democracies where the voter lists are not fair and error free. The preparation of the
fresh voter list on the basis of biometrics, where picture of a voter and thumb impression will be
the prime requirement, is an innovative effort in Nepal. This is primarily because in existing lists
there are many duplications and triplications which made them suspicious. This is for the first
time that voter list is being prepared on the basis of a citizenship certificates which is again a step
towards credible, fair, error free and acceptable voter list as this is a primary. Voter list is taken
as a basic document for ensuring adult franchise.9
In emerging and delicate democracies like Nepal, the necessity of comprehensive and fair voter
list always play an important role. In the absence of clean voter list, results are often manipulated
with possible occurrence of violence afterwards. It is noted that biometric technology is not
difficult or expensive as is considered rather it is workable and can be adopted by any EMB having
independence and powers to do so. This is a practical solution of problem solving in countries
where violence erupts after elections, disturbing the stability and peace.
B. POLLING PROCEDURE
9
Biometric voter verification in Ghana, aceproject.org › Support and Advice › Archive › Questions › Consolidated
Replies

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In elections, polling focuses on people’s engagement, opinions about the candidates, views of
the campaign and voter preferences. Although election polls attract a great deal of attention for
the ability to predict the outcome of elections, their elemental function is to help journalists and
citizens understand the meaning of the campaign and the election process. Polls help to explain
important issues, of how candidate qualities may affect voters’ decisions, and how much support
is available for particular policy changes10.
Polling includes three important steps:
 Where to vote…
 When to vote…
 How to vote…
1. Important Consideration in Polling Procedures
 Number of voters registered at the station
 Number of voters voted
 General atmosphere
 Location of polling station
 Physical accessibility of the voters to the station
 Incidences of voters’ intimidation
 General agitation and disturbances
 Campaign posters and materials
 Campaigning activities
2. Inside The Polling Station: Presence
 People present, polling environment
 Members of the Election Commission
 Representatives of parties/candidates
 Domestic observers
 Media representatives
 Security forces
 Only authorized people
3. Important Considerations in Polling Station
 Was the polling station overcrowded?
 Was there campaigning inside the station?
 Was there campaign material inside the station?
 Was the information displayed for voters correct and complete?
 Were there any problems with identification?
 Were there any problems with registration?
10
http://www.pewresearch.org/methodology/u-s-survey-research/election-polling/

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 Were there any instances of ballot papers/documentation not signed or unmarked or not
stamped?
 Was there insufficient or wrong ballot materials?
 Were booths placed ensuring confidentiality?
 Was there more than one person in a booth at once?
 Were there problems with assistance to blind/illiterate voters?
 Was the ballot box sealed properly?
 Was the ballot box visible by EMB staff?
 What was the approximate time taken to process one voter?
 Were there any questions about mobile ballot boxes?
C. COUNTING PROCEDURE
In elections counting simply means calculation of the number of election ballots based on
predetermined laws. In areas where paper ballots are still in-use, election officials manually read
each ballot and add up the number of votes in each race. Where punch card ballots are used,
election officials open each ballot box, manually count the number of ballots cast, and run the
ballots through a mechanical punch card reader. Software installed in the card reader records
the votes in each race and prints out the totals.11
With the newer, fully computerized voting systems, including optical scan and direct recording
electronic systems, the vote totals may be transmitted automatically to the central counting
facility. In some cases, these devices record their votes on removable media, such as hard disks
or cassettes, which are transported to the central counting facility for counting. In almost all
elections, some votes will be lost or incorrectly counted due to voter mistakes, voting equipment
malfunctions, or errors on the part of election officials. From local elections to presidential
elections, officials are constantly working to improve the voting process; with the goal of making
sure that every vote is counted and is counted correctly.12
Vote Recounts: Whenever the results of an election are very close, or if problems have occurred
with the voting equipment, a recount of the votes will often be demanded by one or more of the
candidates. Some state laws call for mandatory recounts. The recounts may be done by a manual
hand-count of ballots or by the same type of machines used to make the original count. Recounts
sometimes change the overall outcome of an election.13
Important Procedures in the Polling
 Accounting procedure in terms of unused ballots and number of persons voted.
 Status of Ballot Box in terms of intact seals.
 Determination of the fairness and impartiality of the count.
 Reconciliation of valid and invalid votes
11
http://usgovinfo.about.com/od/thepoliticalsystem/a/votecounts.htm
12
Ibid
13
Ibid

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 Filling of protocols and attachment of complaints
 Assessment of technical shortcomings and serious/deliberate irregularities
Key Questions on Voting Process Standards
• Were polling station protocols properly received?
• Were the protocols tabulated in an orderly and credible manner?
• Were there any disagreements within the Commission?
• Were all parts of the process transparent, and did accredited observers have
satisfactory access?
• Are there any questions regarding the legitimacy of the process?
• Is the count conducted with integrity and accuracy?
• Were the tabulation transparent and an accurate reflection of the polling booth count?
• Are the results easily available to interested members of the public?
• Does counting take place with no undue delay?
• Were parties and candidates allowed to observe the count?
The End