Ethiopia Introduces Digital Registration System for Voters and Candidates
The adoption of digital systems for candidate registration marks a significant step in Ethiopia’s efforts to modernize its electoral processes, improve transparency, and increase efficiency ahead of the 7th general election.
The Ethiopian National Election Board (NEBE) is advancing its election modernization by introducing a digital registration system for both voters and candidates. During a meeting with political parties on 20th 2018 E.C., NEBE discussed three amended draft guidelines covering election procedures, government support for political parties and candidates, and the use and allocation of media. Chairperson Melatwork Hailu emphasized that the updates, prompted by amendments to Proclamation No. 1162/2011, aim to improve efficiency and legal compliance in the electoral process.
Legal experts Gedion Sisay and Ayitenew Debebe briefed participating political parties on the amended guidelines, after which parties submitted comments and questions. The experts and Chairperson Melatwork addressed these inputs, confirming that lawful suggestions would be incorporated into the updated directives.
A key highlight of the meeting was the Board’s focus on digital registration for candidates. Chairperson Melatwork noted that while candidate registration has not yet begun, the system developed by NEBE will enable party representatives to manage registration digitally. This move is intended to streamline the registration process, reduce manual errors, and enhance transparency. Preliminary data from political parties is being collected in preparation for candidate registration, and the submission deadline has been extended to accommodate additional inputs.
In addition to digital registration, NEBE reiterated its approach to assessing “enabling conditions” for elections. Data on peace and security will be collected from regional governments and security agencies, categorized as green, yellow, or red. Multi-party and civil society monitoring teams will then verify the information on the ground to identify constituencies where elections can be safely conducted. Chairperson Melatwork emphasized that this verification process will be continuous rather than a one-time exercise, ensuring that elections proceed in secure and stable conditions.
The adoption of digital systems for candidate registration marks a significant step in Ethiopia’s efforts to modernize its electoral processes, improve transparency, and increase efficiency ahead of the 7th general election.
