Brief 5 : ensuring the electoral process in Cameroon through the biometric system: stakes and challenges of the 2013 legislative and municipal elections
Date
2013-12
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Publisher
University for Peace Africa Programme, Addis Ababa, ET
Abstract
The introduction of the biometric system in the management of
the electoral process is a major innovation in Cameroon. To combat
massive irregularities and shortcomings of electoral lists observed in the
organisation of elections, the Cameroon government experimented with
biometric registration for the September 2013 council and legislative
elections. Considered as an appropriate solution to the problem of
multiple registrations on electoral lists as well as multiple votes by one
citizen, the biometric system has enabled a recompilation of these lists
by Elections Cameroon (|ELECAM) as a means of combating electoral
fraud. However, its success was questioned during the last elections
due to observed irregularities. This summary note seeks to consider the
strengths and weaknesses of the biometric system in the electoral process
and to suggest a number of challenges that the Cameroon government
and ELECAM must face before, during, and after these elections, using
the new biometric tool. It also aims to provide recommendations for the
improvement of the system in the country’s electoral process.
Description
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Policy Brief
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Keywords
CAMEROON, DEMOCRATIZATION, ELECTORAL ISSUES, ELECTION VERIFICATION, VOTER REGISTRATION, BIOMETRICS, POLITICAL REPRESENTATION, CIVIL AND POLITICAL RIGHTS, PROGRAMME OWNERSHIP, TRAINING PROGRAMMES
Citation
Touse, J. (2013). Brief 5 : Ensuring the Electoral process in Cameroon through the Biometric System: Stakes and Challenges of the 2013 Legislative and Municipal Elections. UPEACE Africa Policy Series, 1(1): 47-53.