The 21st Century's Registrar's Office: application of the Fundamental Technologies for the Electoral and Identification Process

The National Civil Registry, under the leadership of Registrar Alexander Vega Rocha, has taken numerous initiatives to achieve the second objective of the Strategic Plan 2019-2023: optimize and modernize the entity's mission and support processes through the use of new technologies. Out of the numerous initiatives, there are two that stand out:

First is implementing the Security Operations Center (SOC), which is responsible for protecting the information of all citizens contained in the National Civil Registry databases. The SOC detects, analyzes and corrects incidents caused by potential cyber-attacks to comply with high international security standards. It also correlates high-risk events and intervenes remotely to monitor the security of the National Civil Registry. Some of the other tasks of the SOC are as follows:

Secondly, the installation of the Analytic Data Room provides the necessary tools for the Data Analytics and Artificial Intelligence Group of the National Civil Registry to carry out its data management functions. The Analytic Data Room includes a computer room with 30 workstations, two multipurpose rooms, four offices and a support room. The central purpose is to leverage information in the administration of massive data (big data) also the integration of data analytics and artificial intelligence (AI). 

The above initiatives were possible thanks to Registrar Alexander Vega Rocha, who provided the National Civil Registry with the most advanced technologies to guarantee the efficient and effective execution of electoral and identification services for the citizens.

 The National Election Commission (NEC) of the Republic of Korea reported that 1,612,573 cooperative members participated in the third nationwide simultaneous elections for heads of cooperatives on March 8, with a turnout of 79.6%. Despite difficult election management conditions due to various election and voting methods, and different requirements for the right to vote, the elections concluded with the active participation of cooperative members and cooperation from related agencies. During the elections, special polling stations for voters in quarantine were operated against COVID-19, which is still prevalent.

 Meanwhile, the NEC of the Republic of Korea applied the zero-tolerance principle to the “money election” and established a system to prevent and regulate illegal activities since September last year while conducting various activities to improve cooperative members’ awareness and create an atmosphere for a clean election. As a result, the cooperative members showed an active interest in the election, such as reporting misconduct or turning themselves in. NEC will continue to take strong measures by tracking the misconduct detected until the end of the elections.

 Furthermore, The Commission will continue its efforts to diagnose and improve problems that appeared during the election process together with the cooperatives.

     MEC Meets Stakeholders over the Establishment of Centers

 The Malawi Electoral Commission organized meetings in all 229 constituencies to allow stakeholders to participate in the establishment of Registration and Constituency Tally Centers for the 2025 election.

 The announcement of the meetings follows the confirmation of the Report on Review of Constituency and Ward Boundaries by the National Assembly on 18 November 2022 and the passing of the Presidential, Parliamentary and Local Government Elections Bill of 2022.

During the stakeholder meetings, delegates had the opportunity to present and discuss the topic of the establishment of Voter Registration Centers. Through the same process, the Commission will also establish Constituency Tally Centers (click to read the full article). 

The Malawi Electoral Commission hosted a seven-member delegation from the Independent Electoral Commission of Botswana to share experience on electronic voter registration from February 11 to 15. Botswana is preparing to conduct general elections later this year and is planning to migrate to an electronic voter registration system for improved efficiency and credibility of its elections.

According to Malawi Electoral Commission Chairperson, Justice Dr. Chifundo Kachale, the visit by the IEC Botswana demonstrated the appreciation for the quality of the system used in Malawi. “From the perspective of the Commission, the visit by Botswana is a vote of confidence in the expertise with which MEC has administered the electronic voter registration system and that our fellow EMBs from the African region would recognize Malawi as a possible destination to come and benchmark their own plans to do similar activities in as far as electoral processes are concerned,” said Kachale. 

With the departure from the optical mark recognition voter registration system and the adoption of electronic voter registration five years ago, the Malawi Electoral Commission was able to conduct a clean voter register. Dr. Kachale said the visit by the Botswana IEC was also in line with the principles of peer learning, which is encouraged among South African Development Community (SADC) electoral management bodies. (click to read the full article)

Experience with Observing the Ecuadorian Electoral System along with the A-WEB Mission

The long journey to a South American continent across the globe

with an enriching experience

 The Office of the Electoral Commissioner of Mauritius was invited to be part of A-WEB's Election Observation Mission to Ecuador, where the Republic of Ecuador held a sectional election, elections of the Council of Citizen Participation and Social Control, and a referendum on February 5, 2023.  

The briefing document containing all essential information about the Election Visitor Program (EVP) was sent well in advance by the A-WEB Secretariat. The online communication with the Secretariat throughout the process was reassuring. 

 The Mission was led by Mr. Jorge Morales from the Central Electoral Board of the Dominican Republic and composed of nine representatives from eight countries, including Belgium, Cambodia, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Mauritius, Moldova, Paraguay and Samoa. 

 During the three-day briefing session, the President of the CNE of Ecuador emphasized the importance of international observers contributing to the accountability and credibility of the electoral process. On 2 February, 5, 497 non-convicted prisoners of voting age voted in 35 prison centers and the A-WEB Mission observed the process of at-home voting and internet voting. 409,250 Ecuadorians from abroad had the opportunity to vote online and in consular buildings for the CPCCS elections and national referendums. 

 A briefing session was moderated by Professor Regis Dandoy and an observation checklist was provided. The A-WEB Mission was deployed to Quito, Ecuador to observe six simultaneous elections, including sectional elections, mayoral elections, urban and rural councilors elections, members of rural parish councils' elections, CPPCS elections, and a referendum. 

 On polling day, the team was escorted by members of the police and felt safe. Debriefing was held after each milestone and a preliminary report was drafted. Overall, the Ecuadorian polling day was well organized and held in a peaceful manner, demonstrating the importance of electoral processes and election observation. (Learn more about electoral systems in Ecuador, including the comparison chart between elections in Mauritius and Ecuador)

2022 Election Management Capacity Building Program on Strengthening Voter Education conducted by the A-WEB Secretariat 

[Award of Certificates in Mauritius]

The Electoral Commissioner of Mauritius presented a certificate to each of the six electoral officers who had successfully completed the 2022 Election Management Capacity Building Program on Strengthening Voter Education conducted by the A-WEB Secretariat. 

#YouthVoteMatters in South Africa: IEC South Africa launches youth voter education and online registration campaigns ahead of 2024 General Elections

The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC SA) is going all out to engage young South Africans in democratic processes ahead of the country’s 2024 General Elections. 

The youth generation in South Africa is booming, with more than a third of the 60 million population aged 15 to 29. At the same time, as is the case in many maturing democracies, young people vote less frequently and stand as candidates less often. 

On February 20, 2023, with more than a year to go to the 2024 General Elections, the IEC SA launched a national online voter registration campaign to encourage young citizens aged 16 years and older to visit its Voter Portal to register to vote in all future elections. 

The Your Vote is Your Voice campaign aimed to reach local youth on digital, social and traditional media, like television and radio. It encouraged them to go to the website at https://registertovote.elections.org.za to register – it’s safe, quick and easy!

The campaign forms part of a year-long campaign by the IEC SA to encourage and help eligible South Africans to register to vote and update their voters’ roll addresses online.

On March 7, 2023, the IEC SA also launched a national civic and democracy education campaign aimed at young citizens in tertiary education institutions at Rhodes University in the Eastern Cape province.

The objectives of the campaign, to be rolled out to tertiary institutions countrywide, are to:

The IEC SA Vice-Chairperson Ms. Janet Love explained why the IEC SA launched its youth voter education campaign for students during South Africa’s Human Rights Month. “As we celebrate Human Rights Month, the Electoral Commission encourages our young citizens and first-time voters to take the future into your hands.”

“One of the most powerful and meaningful ways to do so is to vote. Voting is a first step – and a necessary step – towards building the South Africa of your dreams. A few clicks on your phone or computer and you’ll join the national voters’ roll,” said Vice-Chairperson Love. 

For more information on these campaigns, visit www.elections.org.za.

     Mr. Ramadhani Kailima Appointed as the New Director of

Elections

President of the United Republic of Tanzania, Hon. Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan has appointed Mr. Ramadhani Kailima as the new Director of Elections.

The appointment was made on February 26, 2023, simultaneously with that of the former Director of Elections, Dr. Wilson Mahera Charles who has been appointed the Deputy Permanent Secretary (Health) in the President’s Office Regional Administration and Local Government.

Mr. Kailima who took oath on February 27, 2023, at the State House in Dodoma Region becomes the Director of Elections for the second time. Earlier Mr. Kailima held the position from July 25, 2015 to July 1, 2018.

On July 1, 2023 he was appointed to hold the position of Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs, the position he held until May 11, 2022 when he was appointed the Deputy Permanent Secretary in the President’s Office Regional Administration and Local Government.

Since its establishment in 1993, the National Electoral Commission of Tanzania has had six Directors of Elections, their names and years in office are as follows; Mr. Alex Banzi (1993-2000), Mr. Rajabu Kiravu (2000-2011), Mr. Julius Malaba (2011-2015), Mr. Ramadhani Kailima (2015-2018), Dr. Athumani Kihamia (2018-2019) and Dr. Wilson Mahera Charles (2019-2023).

 The Central Election Commission (CEC) of the Republic of Uzbekistan wants to update readers of the A-WEB Newsletter on the latest news regarding the upcoming referendum in Uzbekistan on the draft constitutional law “On the Constitution of the Republic of Uzbekistan.” According to the resolutions of the Legislative Chamber and the Senate of the Oliy Majlis (the Parliament), the referendum is scheduled for April 30, 2023. These decisions were published on March 15.

 The draft constitutional law “On the Constitution of the Republic of Uzbekistan” represents a transformation of the new Uzbekistan, prioritizing every person’s rights and freedoms. The Central Election Commission of the Republic of Uzbekistan is responsible for organizing and holding the referendum. On March 16, 2023, a meeting was held to discuss the organizational issues of preparing and holding the referendum.

 The CEC of the Republic of Uzbekistan is committed to facilitating a fair, transparent, inclusive, and successful referendum process, and this meeting is a significant step in achieving that goal. With in-depth planning, thorough training, and open communication, the referendum can proceed smoothly and serve as a vital expression of democracy. 

Trilateral Meeting among Office Bearers of A-WEB

 On 30 March 2023, at 10 PM KST, the Chairperson of A-WEB and the Electoral Commission of South Africa, Mr. Mosotho Moepya, Vice-Chairperson of A-WEB, National Civil Registrar of Colombia, Mr. Alexander Vega Rocha (represented by Mr. Johnnatan T. Hernandez), and A-WEB's Secretary General, Mr. In-sik Jang held a productive online meeting. They discussed the crucial agenda associated with the upcoming Executive Board Meeting.

 They all agreed that setting a date for the Executive Board meeting is the most urgent issue to settle immediately. They decided to set and announce the date as soon as possible so that all Executive Board members could begin to make all necessary preparations to participate in the meeting with no further delay. They also reached an agreement that they would meet with each other anytime they find it necessary to discuss important issues regarding the coming Executive Board meeting.

2023 Global Forum on Modern Direct Democracy

The 2023 Global Forum on Modern Direct Democracy took place from February 27 to March 4 in Mexico City. This forum was organized under a consortium with the National Electoral Institute inviting activists, international organizations, civil society organizations, election management bodies and academics from all over the world. Under the theme of “what protections and assistance does democracy, in its most direct form, require to survive and thrive?” a number of panels and workshops were organized.

Dr. Seung Kim, Advisor to the Secretary General of A-WEB, was invited to join the panel entitled “Performance of electoral bodies in direct democracy exercises.” He spoke about direct democracy mechanisms used in seven Asian countries and the barriers to implementing those mechanisms. He also explained the important role of election management bodies in planning, organizing, and managing the entire process of referendums and recalls of elected officials. He emphasized the necessity of using digital technologies and online platforms in promoting direct democracy for the sake of both management bodies and citizens who participate in direct democracy mechanisms, comparing the size of the territory and population of a modern state with that of Ancient Athens.

TSJE of Paraguay Invites A-WEB Members to Observe April Elections

A-WEB Member EMBs and Partner Organizations on International Women’s Day 2023

International Women's Day is celebrated globally on March 8th to recognize and celebrate the achievement of women in various fields and to promote gender equality.

This year, Member EMBs and Partner Organizations celebrated International Women’s Day in different ways:

The 67th Session of the Commission on Status of Women organized by UN Women #CSW67

The 67th session of the Commission of the Status of Women (CSW67), organized by UN Women, was held for two weeks, from March 6 to March 17. The theme of International Women’s Day 2023 is “DigitALL: Innovation and Technology for Gender Equality.” The theme focuses on the digital gender gap’s impacts on inequalities and highlights the need to protect the rights of women and girls in digital spaces, including addressing gender-based violence online.

 (source).

International IDEA, a partner organization of A-WEB, organized a side event for the 67th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women, focusing on enhancing the political participation of rural women in Africa.

Many EMBs and Partner Organizations also celebrated the achievements of women in the workplace and the improvement of women’s electoral rights on their social media pages

Top row:

(1)https://twitter.com/IFES1987/status/1633505473646272517?s=20 ;

(2)https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=585999993572691&set=a.240283974810963 ;

(3)https://www.facebook.com/cecmoldova/posts/594501766035190

Middle row:

(4)https://www.facebook.com/Justicia.Electoral.Paraguay/posts/549815527274488 ;

(5)https://www.facebook.com/InternationalIDEA/posts/pfbid0dsfmz85duaMhi7kcjpv515fuptPCG7AC;

(6)https://www.facebook.com/InfoDINE/posts/580163807476947 

Bottom row:

(7)https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=596196739205481&set=a.290790976412727 ;

(8)https://www.facebook.com/ECI/videos/3444646212487650/ ;

(9)https://fb.watch/jhf7fiiwNY/

Parliamentary and Local Elections in Kazakhstan

Parliamentary and local elections were held in Kazakhstan on 19 March 2023 to elect new representatives for the lower house of the Parliament and the Maslikhats, the local representative bodies. There were 281 candidates competing from seven political parties and the voter turnout was 54.2%, according to the Central Election Commission of Kazakhstan. (source1; source2)

Presidential and Vice-Presidential Elections in Nepal

Presidential election and vice-presidential election were held in Nepal on March 9, and on March 17, 2023 respectively. On March 9, 2023, 884 members of the federal parliament and provincial assemblies gathered to elect the new president. Ram Chandra Poudel was elected as the new president as a result. On March 17, 2023, Ramsahaya Prasad Yadav of Janata Samajbadi Party (JSP) was elected as the Vice-President. (source1; source2)

General Elections in Nigeria

General Elections were held in Nigeria on February 25, 2023 to elect the president, vice-president and the members of the Senate and the House of Representatives. According to the Independent National Election Commission (INEC) of Nigeria, Bola Tinubu of the All Progressive Congress (APC) was elected as the new president, and Kashim Shettima, his running mate, became the vice-president-elect. (source1; source2; source3)

The Secretariat requests that members of A-WEB pay the annual membership fee of USD 10,000 for the year 2023. Each member has its own account and the annual membership fee paid by a member is managed individually.

To inform the Secretariat of the completion of the transfer, all members who have finalized the transaction are requested to send a copy of the remittance receipt issued by the bank to the Secretariat via aweb131014@gmail.com: the document should include information such as sender name, amount sent and date of transfer. 

 For any questions regarding the membership fee, please feel free to contact the Secretariat at aweb131014@gmail.com as well. more details