An iris-based Biometric Voter Verification System (BVVS) to be used for voter verification in Somaliland during the country’s general elections in November is undergoing field testing to demonstrate its viability.
Iris ID confirmed to Biometric Update that its iris biometrics software and hardware are part of the system, and it is working in partnership with South African integrator Neametrics Africa.
At a recent event to launch the trial, the Somaliland National Electoral Commission (NEC) explained the functionality of the equipment and the importance of the test run. Saxafi Media reports that stakeholders shared their thoughts about the BVVS, which will be reviewed during a planned multi-stakeholder meeting.
The first field test was conducted in Togdheer and Awdal, two of the country’s six administrative regions, and saw the participation of NEC Commissioners, political party representatives, as well as actors from civil society. Some tests have also been conducted in the Civil Service Polling Center, a major voting center in Hargeisa.
BVVS audit
Before the field test, the BVVS system had undergone an audit. In May, the NEC revealed on social media that it held a debriefing session with consultants who “conducted a thorough 2-week audit exercise”.
The Biometric Voter Registration Audit System was introduced in collaboration with the European Union (EU) and the Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy (NIMD), the election agency noted.
No details were mentioned about the findings of the audit but it is understood that the exercise was meant to test the reliability of the system by sanitizing the voter registration database in order to prevent double voting and other irregularities that could lead to conflict.
However, in a meeting on July 24, the NEC said the expert auditor “presented his comprehensive report on the BVRS audit” and political party representatives thoroughly questioned the audit findings. In the same meeting, the election agency said in a press release, that it also provided stakeholders with a “thorough update on the progress and ongoing tasks related to the BVVS” and a planned testing of the system.
NEC assures of BVVS reliability
Aware that the BVVS system has elicited some criticisms among the political elite of the country, the NEC posits that the use of technology is a crucial factor in the organization of fair and credible elections in this independent nation.
The Republic of Somaliland, formerly the British Somaliland Protectorate, became independent from the UK in 1960. It was recognized as a de jure state by 35 nations, including China, Egypt, Ethiopia, France, Ghana, Israel, Libya, and the Soviet Union. A union with the United Nations Trust Territory of Italian Somaliland was proposed after the Somaliland Legislative Assembly passed a bill to formalize the union, but that union was never ratified. After 31 years of annexation, Somaliland regained sovereignty in 1991. Despite showing resilience and a dedication to democratic principles, including holding free and fair elections for more than three decades, international re-recognition remains elusive.
In a July 6 press outing in which the NEC gave updates about preparations for the upcoming elections, the election agency said the deployment of the system is in line with the laws of the country and that it will “be used to verify voters before they cast their votes.”
It explained in the release that the BVVS is made up of two systems that include manual verification using the voter’s card and final voter’s list register at the polling station, and the biometric verification system using iris biometrics technology.
The NEC, through communication, reminded citizens of its statutory powers of implementing and making decisions in relation to the use of technical equipment such as the BVVS at polling stations during elections.
“We will conduct demonstrations of the new upgraded software and equipment and will invite stakeholders to provide feedback and suggestions before the implementation. The NEC assures the public that the use of the BVVS system will not cause a delay to the elections,” a part of the NEC press release read.
The agency also warned stakeholders, “including the government, political parties, political associations, media, academics, civil society organizations, social media influencers, and the general public to refrain from interfering with the NEC’s work and to abstain from spreading false information that could jeopardize the security and proper conduct of the election process.”
Pioneer in iris biometrics for national elections
The concerns about the BVVS notwithstanding, Somaliland has made some good points in the notebook of biometrics used in national elections. The country is credited with being the first nation in the world to use an iris biometrics system for voter registration and verification.
The system was first used for the 2017 elections, with Daon integrating the Iris ID technology. The BVVS was used to register and identify voters in an election that had a reported voter turnout of around 80 percent.
