By S. Siapha Mulbah
The National Elections Commission has begun the initial plans to transition the procedures used during the registration process of voters ahead of the 2023 Presidential and General elections in the country.
The Commission has announced that the Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) process that had been used from time to time in Liberia during elections had transitioned to what they termed as a Biometric Voters Registration (BVR) system.
Addressing a major press conference yesterday at the commissions’ headquarters in Monrovia, Davidetta Browne Lansanah, and the upcoming Presidential and General elections will witness the introduction of a Biometric style that could be the best way to deal with the electoral process.
She said that during the voter registrations exercise, portable tablets with scanners will be used and that the data entry process will also be performed by the use of customized software.
Madam Lansanah said each applicant’s particulars will be captured including facial image, finger print and issuance of printed card with special features.
According to Madam Browne Lansanah, there are many advantages that the commission stands to gain by the introduction of the digital system that will be instituted though electronic objects including tablets and scanners.
“Some advantages of the Biometric Voters Registrations include preventions of multiple registrations, accuracy of information, creation of unique lifetime voter identification for each registered voter, eradication of voters’ impersonation, and others,” the NEC boss stressed.
She revealed that using the new methodology, the Commission is going to run a three-region registration process for the elections across the 15 counties starting December 15, 2022 to March 17, 2023 and that launching the registration process which will begin with region one.
Madam Browne Lansanah said Montserrado, Bomi, Gbarpolu, and Grand Cape Mount counties will launch phase one from December 15, 2022 to January 6, 2023.
In region two, Bong, Grand Bassa, Lofa and Margibi counties will conduct the second phase of the process from January 21, to February 10 of next year; while Grand Gedeh, Grand Kru, Maryland, Nimba, River Gee, River Cess and Sinoe Counties will be end the process as region three from February 25 to March 17 of the election year.
She maintained that each of the three regions will host the registration process for the period of three weeks.
