Double-take headline of the Week

[cthulu2016]

In Kenya, Most Registered Voters Lack Required Voting Card

At a glance, I went, "Oh geez... what paranoid fantasy have the wing-nuts cooked up this time?" But it's actually an interesting story about Kenya instituting new voter ID cards and invalidating the old cards, but (not surprisingly) most folks figure that since they have a voter ID card they're fine.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The vast majority of registered voters in Kenya do not have the voting card they need to be able to participate in the country's next presidential election, scheduled for March 4, 2013, according to a July 26-Aug. 17, 2012, Gallup survey.

Kenya's electoral body, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) requires that to cast a ballot, Kenyans must show the new ID cards, which are necessary to get the new voter cards. According to the IEBC, the old ID cards and the former voting cards are invalid to vote in the upcoming election. This reveals that most who think they are properly registered are not, highlighting confusion about new voting rules.

Overall, 74% of all Kenyans aged 18 and older say they are registered to vote. While women and men are as likely to be registered to vote and there are no differences by educational level, young Kenyans are far less likely than their older counterparts to say they are registered to vote. Kenyans between the ages of 18 and 22 -- who were too young to vote in the last presidential election -- are far less likely than those who are older to say they are registered to vote. This finding suggests that this group of potential voters may either not be interested in participating in the election or face obstacles in registering to vote and perhaps voting.

Most Kenyans Say It Is Easy to Register to Vote, but Documents Are a Barrier for Some

The IEBC will use several new technologies, including electronic voter registration, to ensure the elections are transparent, free, and fair. But there is controversy about the tender process to obtain the equipment and the logistics of implementing these solutions before the election. Current registered voters in Kenya are slightly more likely than those who have yet to register to say the current process to register to vote is easy, but the majority of both groups see the process as easy.


http://www.gallup.com/poll/157874/kenya-registered-voters-lack-required-voting-card.aspx