Voter registration is not just the technical implementation of an activity; it is a holistic political, administrative and practical process.
Successful voluntary voter registration schemes tend to be:
- Responsive to local conditions including the political, economic and social context of the country hosting the election
- Realistic and affordable given the financial and administrative environment in which it must be developed and sustained
- Accompanied by a voter education drive that fosters necessary awareness by emphasising the importance of registration, explaining responsibilities, and presenting information on how to complete the process
- Sufficient investment is required in the training of staff involved in the registration process to ensure the performance of the voter registration system and quality assurance mechanisms
- Voter registration exercises will often rely on support and management by international staff owing to the short timelines, limited local information technology (IT) skilled staff and the complex computerisation involved
