National Civil and Voter Registration, Pg. 11

Transcription

1 National Civil and Voter Registration, 2017 Pg. 11

2 What is Voter Registration? Voter registration is the process of verifying the identity of potential voters and entering their names and other substantiating information on a voters list. In almost all countries where elections are held, voters must be registered in order to be eligible to participate in an election. Why Voter registration? Voter registration is intended to ensure that everyone entitled to vote does so to prevent ineligible persons from voting, and to guard against multiple voting by the same person (s). What is Civil Registration? Civil Registration is the system by which government records (in a continuous, permanent, compulsory and universal manner) the occurrence and characteristics of vital events (births, deaths, marriages, adoptions, nullities, divorces, etc.) related to its citizens and non-citizens, as provided by and in accordance with an established legal framework. The resulting data base is called a National Civil Register. What is legal framework for Civil and Voter Registration? a. The 1991 Constitution of Sierra Leone. b. The Public Elections Act (PEA 2012). c. The National Civil Registration (NCRA) Act What type of registration did the National Electoral Commission undertake in 2012? Biometric Voter Registration was undertaken. This was a new process for Sierra Leone with the goal to uphold the principle of one person, one vote by seeking to avoid duplicated registration. How are the two registration projects similar? For the next voter registration exercise, the NEC will undertake the establishment of a permanent register using the same biometric technology, similar to that done for the 2012 biometric voter registration. An initial field data capture for 28 days will target Sierra Leonean citizens (17 years and above) using all the required fields for the Civil register. The proposed registration system will capture enough information about the elector to enable the register to remain current and accurate to ensure the following: The possibility of multiple registration is reduced to 0.01%; Pg 1 Pg.

3 Spare high capacity battery and charging caddy Webcam and light source Photographic background cloth Finger print scanner All necessary connections, plugs and cables Kit case containing all parts and components other than the generator Generators to power the registration kits (one per kit) and charge the computer battery Maintenance of kits. 21. If you do not register during the Voter Registration period 20 th March to 16 th April, 2017, will you vote in the March 7 th 2018 Elections? NO, because your name will not be in the Final Voters Register (FVR) to enable you vote for the 2018 elections. So if you want to vote in 2018 elections you must register as a voter from 20 th March to 16 th April, Will an applicant who does not register during the Voter registration phase be allowed to register during the Civil Registration period? Yes, and will have his/her data captured in the civil register but will not vote during the 2018 elections. So if you want to voter in the 2018 elections, register during the voter registration period. Eliminate the possibility of ghost registration as electors have to be physically present to participate in the process; New electors can be added to the register as necessary; Voters will be able to change their details and effect transfers to other electoral areas; The register can be easily updated; Lost ID Cards can be replaced through reference to biometric details in the data; Subsequent registration cost will be reduced as some of the equipment will still be available. 6. What will be the next stage after Voter Registration? The next stage will be the retrieval of data from the kits by NEC and other processes such as adjudication, exhibition, printing and distribution of cards; and after a threeday break, NCRA will then continue the Civil Registration process, capturing the remaining data (0-15 years) and non-sierra Leoneans. 7. Where will Registration take place? Voter registration will be conducted at locations called Voter Registration Centres (VRC). The Registration Centre is the physical building where registration will take place. In general, eligible Sierra Leoneans will vote at the same location where they have registered. On polling day, this location is called Polling Centre. Each Registration Centre/Polling Centre will serve a maximum of 2,000 voters. It is estimated that approximately 3,300 registration teams (VR Centres) will be required to carry out the process over the three week registration period scheduled for each ward. 8. When will the Voter Registration Process take place? The Voter Registration (hereinafter called VR) exercise will be carried out over a 28-day period across the country, as required by law for data capture covering all 132 constituencies. It will also follow all voter registration procedures including observation by election stakeholders. The exercise will take place between February and March Registration will commence daily at 7am and will end at 5pm from Monday to Sunday throughout the 28 -day period for the Voter Registration in each ward. 9. What will the VR Process do? The VR exercise will produce a current, comprehensive, and accurate Civil and Voters Register. Only those people who are on the Voters Register and present a Voters ID Card will be able to vote in the 7 th March, 2018 Elections. Pg Who can register? To be allowed to register, a person must meet all of the following requirements. Be Sierra Leonean by law Pg. 2

4 Be 18 years old or more by March 7 th, 2018 (Born on or before March 7th, 2000); Be of sound mind (People who have been committed to a mental asylum or judged to be insane are not eligible to register); Not imprisoned for conviction of a crime or under death sentence; Ordinarily resident in the area where he/she wishes to register. Any one temporarily living in an area cannot register in that area. However, voters wishing to transfer their registration from one polling centre to another where they are now permanently resident can do so. Embedded computer, with internal high capacity battery In general, an Applicant does not need to submit any documentation to be registered. However, if the eligibility, or identity, or residential status of the applicant is in doubt, the Registration Officer may request him/her to provide any of the following evidences: Nationality: a National ID card, a Sierra Leonean passport, birth certificate, certificate of naturalisation or affidavit indicating Sierra Leonean nationality. Age: a National ID card, a Sierra Leonean passport, Drivers License birth certificate or affidavit indicating age. Residence: Local tax receipt, bills of public utilities, or affidavit indicating residence. An Applicant can also provide non-documentary proof of identity and eligibility when they cannot produce any of the above documents. 11. WHAT is a Registration Centre? The Registration Centre is the physical building where registration will take place. Voter registration will be conducted at locations called registration centres. In general, eligible Sierra Leoneans will vote at the same location where they have registered. There will be 3,300 voter registration centres. On polling day, this location is called Polling Centre. 12. The voter registration process is made of various steps that will result in a Final Voters Register (FVR). The steps are: Pg. 3 Pg. 8

5 Eligible citizens ordinarily resident in the section/area where the RC is located NEC officials with ID Cards Party agents accredited by NEC Journalists who carry Press Cards Observers accredited by NEC. SLP Security Personnel attached to (or patrolling) the registration centre should be allowed only in the outer perimeter of the centre, unless otherwise requested by the Registrar 20. What type of Form will be used for the process? Registration Centre Data Centre CIVIL AND VOTER REGISTRATION FORM 1 (See CVR Form 01 Below) Applicant goes to Registration Centre in person, gets registered and receives a receipt to confirm registration VR Forms are sent to the NEC District Offices and from there to the National Data Forms are scanned at NEC HQ to create and print a Provisional Voters Regis- 21. SECURITY and safety There will be SLP security personnel attached generally to each VR centre. The Registrar: May suspend registration if the centre is threatened by riot, violence, storm, flood, or any other occurrence that will make the proper conduct of registration impossible. Must suspend registration if advised to do so by the WCs or the Police. In the case of an unforeseen suspension of registration, as soon as it is practical, inform the WCs of the suspension. Should make sure that the following sensitive materials are not left behind. Registration kits including hardware components and VR software to include: Pg. 7 Registration/Exhibition Centre Provisional Voters Register is displayed during Exhibition in each VRC. VR slips are issued to registrants at this stage. Potential voters check it and apply for changes, 13. PERIOD of Registration Constituency level Inquiry period Challenges of the potential voters are heard during the inquiry period The Voter Registration exercise will be carried out for a 28 day period. It will take place from 20 th March to 16 April, WHEN will registration commence each day? Data Centre Based on information from the Exhibition and Inquiry Periods, changes are made to the PVR. Final Voters Register (FVR) is printed for Election Day and distributed to polling centres/stations nation- Registration will commence daily at 7 a.m. and will end at 5pm from Monday Pg. to 4

6 Sunday throughout the 28 day period. 15. WHERE Can a Person Register? Everyone wishing to be registered must go to the nearest Voter Registration Centre in the section (area in the case of Western Area and urban areas of Townships) of the ward or constituency where they are ordinarily resident. 16. CAN a person register in absentia? No one is allowed to register in absentia; everyone is expected to register in person. No one is allowed to register for another person. A person can register only once. 17. WHO qualifies to register? To be registered, a person must: Be eligible, that is, be Sierra Leonean and be at least 18 years old on the day before polling day, 7 th March, He/she must be born on or before 7 th March, 2000; Go in person during the 28 day registration period to the nearest Voter Registration Centre in the section/area of the ward or constituency where he/she resides; Submit proof of eligibility, identity or residence, if required. For the purposes of this registration proof of identity is needed to be registered. Moreover, if the eligibility or identity of the applicant is in doubt, the Registration Officer must request him/her to provide any of the following evidences: Acceptable documentary proof of identity and eligibility: i. Nationality: a National ID car d (self-produced ID cards shall not be accepted as proof of identity), a Sierra Leonean passport, birth certificate, certificate of naturalisation or affidavit indicating Sierra Leonean nationality. ii. Age: a National ID card, a Sierra Leonean passport, birth certificate or affidavit indicating age. Residence: Local tax receipt, bills of public utilities or affidavit indicating residence. Acceptable Non-documentary proof of identity and eligibility: When the applicant cannot produce documentary proof of identity and/or eligibility, the registrar may also accept the declaration of the following people: 18. WHAT is the Registration team? Each Voter Registration Centre will comprise a team of 3 officials: Registration Officer Assistant Registration Officer I (Data Entry Operator) Assistant Registration Officer II The registration team will be monitored by the Ward Coordinators (WCs) who in turn report to the District Electoral Officers (DEOs). 19. Who has access to the Registration Centre (RC)? The following people will have access to the registration centre: Paramount Chief Tribal Head Town Chief Section Chief Village Head Religious Leader Head of Educational Institution Councillor While testimony of any one of the aforementioned authorities is accepted, Only the Registrar shall decide whether an applicant is eligible or not. An applicant, however, has the right to appeal. Pg. 5 Pg. 6