Department of Electoral Cooperation and Observation
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Electoral Registry
Voter registration is one of the most important tasks of election administration and an integral part of the election process. A reliable electoral registry (voters list) is an essential element of a democratic election. Voter registration should be inclusive, ensuring that those who are entitled to vote may do so on Election Day. At the same time, registration must ensure the exclusion of people who do not have the right to vote.

Through two-way audits of electoral registries, DECO/OAS conducts thorough diagnoses of the components and processes of the electoral registration process. This analysis allows the department to implement effective strategies to cleanse and update data in the electoral roll.

Implemented projects

Verification and Indexing of Registration Records of the Electoral List of Guatemala
Estimated duration: March 31 to May 31, 2014
Counterpart: Supreme Electoral Tribunal of Guatemala
Donor: Canada

The project objective was to coordinate the process of verifying and indexing registration records, while developing effective strategies to cleanse and update electoral registration data in the future. To perform this task, international experts- in conjunction with TSE staff- conducted a verification of the registration records contained in the civil registry books at the headquarters of the National Registry of Persons (RENAP). The principal objective was to ensure that the records of each citizen in the civil registry contained personal information that matched the data contained in the registration database. This initiative was motivated by the recent introduction of a national Personal Identification Document (DPI) and the subsequent need to verify data contained at the local level in order to guarantee the accuracy of the electoral registry ahead of the 2015 elections in Guatemala.

Verification of Implementation of OAS Recommendations made to the TSE of El Salvador during the 2007 Audit of the Voter Registry
Estimated Duration: October to December 2013
Counterpart: Supreme Electoral Tribunal of El Salvador
Donor: Spain

In order to strengthen the mechanisms of electoral registration in El Salvador, in 2007 the GS/OAS deployed a technical cooperation mission to audit the voter registration process, after which the GS/OAS presented a report with findings and recommendations. Prior to the 2014 elections, the OAS conducted a verification of the implementation of the recommendations that were made on that occasion. When the project was completed, the OAS submitted a report to the Tribunal that indicated the status of implementation of these recommendations and provided a list of opportunities for improvement that were identified during the verification.

Assessment and verification of Voter Registration System in Grenada
Estimated Duration: January to February, 2013
Counterpart: Parliamentary Elections Office of Grenada
Donor: Canada

Prior to the 2013 general elections, a team of experts conducted an assessment of the legal and technical procedures associated with the registration of voters in the country. Members of the delegation met with electoral authorities, state institutions, political parties and civil society groups to gather information and exchange views on the process. They worked closely with their counterparts in the electoral authorities to assess the technological components of voter registration and the integrity of the voter registration database. The technical team also conducted a house to house statistical survey throughout the islands of Grenada and Carriacou to assess the accuracy of the electoral list. The project culminated with the submission of a report to Grenadian authorities with the Mission’s findings and recommendations.

Comprehensive Audit of the Electoral Register of the Dominican Republic
Estimated Duration: February to April, 2012
Counterpart: Central Electoral Board of the Dominican Republic
Donor: United States and Dominican Republic

Prior to the 2012 presidential elections, the Central Electoral Board requested OAS technical cooperation with a comprehensive audit to their voter registration process. The project included a detailed analysis of the processes and procedures for voter registration. A two-way audit was also conducted to measure the accuracy of the registry and identify areas of improvement. Upon completion, a report containing a series of recommendations for the short, medium and long-term improvement of voter registration procedures was submitted to electoral authorities in the Dominican Republic.

Audit of the Electoral Register of Paraguay
Estimated Duration: April to July, 2010
Counterpart: Superior Court of Electoral Justice of Paraguay
Donor: Canada and United States

Following a request for cooperation, DECO provided assistance to the Superior Electoral Court in the implementation of a comprehensive two-way audit of the electoral registry. The audit involved an analysis of the processes and procedures of electoral registration, in order to identify areas of improvement. Upon completion, a report containing a series of recommendations for the short, medium and long term improvement of electoral registration procedures was submitted to Paraguayan authorities.

Electoral Registration Audit in Guatemala
Estimated Duration: August to October, 2010
Counterpart: Supreme Electoral Tribunal of Guatemala
Donor: Canada

In 2010, DECO deployed a team of experts to carry out a comprehensive two-way audit of the electoral registry in Guatemala. The audit involved a thorough analysis of the processes and procedures of electoral registration with a focus on quality. The technical cooperation was able to identify areas of the registration process subject to improvement, which were submitted in a final report to the Guatemalan electoral tribunal.

Re-Registration in Bolivia Prior to 2009 General Election
Estimated Duration: June to December, 2009
Partner: National Electoral Court of Bolivia
Donor: Brazil, Canada and the United States

During the process of the introduction of the biometric registration process in Bolivia in 2009, the OAS provided technical accompaniment to different areas within the National Electoral Court including electoral organization, information security, electoral logistics, information and electoral legislation. The introduction of the new registration process, implemented with OAS support, resulted in a substantial increase in voter turnout in the 2009 elections, in which the number of citizens who exercised their vote grew to 5.2 million voters, compared to 3.6 million in the previous electoral process.

Comprehensive Audit of the Electoral Registry of Bolivia
Estimated duration: November to December, 2008
Partner: National Electoral Court of Bolivia
Donor: Brazil, Canada and the United States

Following a request for cooperation, DECO provided assistance to the National Electoral Court of Bolivia in the implementation of a comprehensive two-way audit of the electoral registry. The audit involved an analysis of the processes and procedures of electoral registration, in order to identify areas of improvement. Upon completion, a report containing a series of recommendations for the short, medium and long term improvement of electoral registration procedures was submitted to Bolivian authorities.

Audit of the Electoral Roll of El Salvador and Implementation of the Recommendations of the Audit Report
Estimated Duration: September 2007 to September, 2008
Counterpart: Supreme Electoral Tribunal
Donor: TSE of El Salvador

DECO provided support to the Supreme Electoral Tribunal of El Salvador by executing an audit of the electoral registry, as well as providing cooperation in the implementation of some of the recommendations contained in the audit report. One such recommendation was the establishment of mechanisms to allow political parties to access the voter registry. These mechanisms allowed political parties to gain access to the electoral register for the first time in history, which greatly enhanced the transparency and credibility of the electoral authority.

Department of Electoral Cooperation and Observation

1889 F St., N.W.
Washington, D.C., 20006
E-mail: [email protected]
Phone: (202) 370-4526
Fax: (202) 458-6250