Dr. Benito NacifDr. Benito NacifElectoral Council, IFEElectoral Council, IFE

MexicoMexico

9 September, 20109 September, 2010

Building Trust through an Building Trust through an Independent Electoral Independent Electoral

Registry: Registry: the Mexican Experiencethe Mexican Experience

Transition to democracyTransition to democracy

Voter registration: a key issueVoter registration: a key issue Opposition rejected the old system Opposition rejected the old system

for it failed to guarantee:for it failed to guarantee: 1) Universal suffrage1) Universal suffrage 2) The principle of one person one 2) The principle of one person one

votevote From 1990-1992 a new system of From 1990-1992 a new system of

voter registration was introducedvoter registration was introduced

The registry of votersThe registry of voters

• One national registry serves for the organization of One national registry serves for the organization of federal and state elections. It has the following features:federal and state elections. It has the following features:

• A) It is A) It is independentindependent from the government. from the government.• It is administrated by the Federal Elections Institute (IFE) –It is administrated by the Federal Elections Institute (IFE) –

an autonomous body appointed by consensus.an autonomous body appointed by consensus.• Representatives of political parties supervise the Representatives of political parties supervise the

administration and take part of some decisions.administration and take part of some decisions.• B) It is B) It is permanentpermanent..• Its offices are open on a regular basis to serve the public.Its offices are open on a regular basis to serve the public.

Incentives to registerIncentives to register• Mexican nationals have the Mexican nationals have the legal obligationlegal obligation to to

register in the Federal Registry of Voters and to register in the Federal Registry of Voters and to report change of address.report change of address.

• There are, however, There are, however, no sanctionsno sanctions to enforce to enforce compliance with these civil obligations.compliance with these civil obligations.

• The system relies on a The system relies on a positive incentivepositive incentive: the Voting : the Voting Card was granted recognition as an official Card was granted recognition as an official identification document.identification document.

• Voting Card: an ID that is free, accessible and Voting Card: an ID that is free, accessible and universally accepted.universally accepted.

• As an incentive to register, it has been a success. As an incentive to register, it has been a success.

• In 2009, 96.1% of the voting -age population are registered to vote.

50.0

60.0

70.0

80.0

90.0

100.0

1996 1997 2000 2002 2003 2005 2006 2008 2009

%

Registered Registered in the State

Registered in the Electoral Section Confidence Interval

Percentage of Citizens Registered to Vote

96.1%

95.2%

% of Citizens Registered in the Electoral Rollby Age, 2009

65.0

75.0

85.0

95.0

18-1

9

20-2

4

25-2

9

30-3

4

35-3

9

40-4

4

45-4

9

50-5

4

55-5

9

60-6

4

65-6

9

70-7

4

75-7

9

80 y

más

%

Total Men Women

Photo Voting ID Card

Photo Voting ID Card

Security Features

In addition to computer controls, the Voter’s List contains various elements of security, including the security paper, which contains small filaments visible in the daylight and other visible only under ultraviolet light; besides this paper, has watermarks with the logo of the IFE distributed across the sheet.

• Photo Voters List: Contains those citizens who requested their registration to Electoral Roll and already have their Photo ID Voters Card.• To vote, the citizens must present his Photo ID Voters Card to prove that his name and face are the same as the ones printed on the list.

The Federal Electoral Registry The Federal Electoral Registry

It is a department within IFE that has the It is a department within IFE that has the

following following responsibilities:responsibilities:

• Issue the Photo Voting Card Issue the Photo Voting Card

• Integrate and update the Electoral RollIntegrate and update the Electoral Roll

• Provide Photo Voters List Provide Photo Voters List

• Keep the Electoral Geography updated.Keep the Electoral Geography updated.

InfraestructureInfraestructure

• The Federal Electoral Registry has 843 enrollment offices distributed in 300 districts throughout the country.

•On September 1st 2010, there were 2,227 workstations; an average of 2.6 workstations per enrollment office.

•Applications processed in 2010: 13.6 million

•Applications by type:•New registrations: 26%

•Change of Address:44%

•Replacement: 14%

•Renewal (e.g. ID “03”): 0.7%

•Correction of personal data: 15%

•Reinstatement (those who lost their civilian rights by the judiciary): 0.3%

DatabaseDatabase• On July 31, 2010, there were On July 31, 2010, there were 80.2 million80.2 million citizens citizens

registered to vote andregistered to vote and 78.9 78.9 citizens enrolled in the Voters citizens enrolled in the Voters List.List.

• 75% 75% of the registers in the Electoral Roll are supported of the registers in the Electoral Roll are supported by by biometrics.biometrics.

• The use of a The use of a Multibiometric Integral Information System Multibiometric Integral Information System (MIIS)(MIIS) help to:help to:

Minimize possible duplicate Minimize possible duplicate records in the Electoral Roll using the records in the Electoral Roll using the multibiometric solution during the preventive and corrective purging. multibiometric solution during the preventive and corrective purging.

Make the corrective purging of duplicate records through the use of the Make the corrective purging of duplicate records through the use of the comparison of fingerprints comparison of fingerprints (index fingers). (index fingers).

Increase the capacity of the multibiometric solution with the incremental Increase the capacity of the multibiometric solution with the incremental use of the fingerprints.use of the fingerprints.

FinancialFinancial costcost In 2010, the total cost of the voting registration In 2010, the total cost of the voting registration

system is US$144.5 million. With 13.6 million system is US$144.5 million. With 13.6 million applications expected, the average cost is:applications expected, the average cost is:• US$10.6 per application processedUS$10.6 per application processed• US$1.81 per registered voterUS$1.81 per registered voter

The annual budget for2011 will be US$166 Million. The annual budget for2011 will be US$166 Million. The estimated average cost:The estimated average cost:• US$ 10.7 per application processedUS$ 10.7 per application processed• US$ 2.04 per registered voterUS$ 2.04 per registered voter

* Exchange rate: * Exchange rate: 1 USD = 12.9436 MXN1 USD = 12.9436 MXN

** Data calculated at prices of 2011** Data calculated at prices of 2011

Pending challenges Pending challenges

High rate of citizens who fail to notify High rate of citizens who fail to notify change of addresschange of address::- 19.1 % do not live in their reported address19.1 % do not live in their reported address- 3.2 % live out of the country (2.5 million people)3.2 % live out of the country (2.5 million people)

Deaths non reported Deaths non reported by Civil Registries or relatives: by Civil Registries or relatives: • An 1.6 % of the voter list (1.3 million)An 1.6 % of the voter list (1.3 million)

To deal with theses problems, Congress introduced in 2008 a To deal with theses problems, Congress introduced in 2008 a 10 10 year limit to the validityyear limit to the validity of the Voting Card of the Voting Card

The same The same incentiveincentive that has been effective in maintaining high that has been effective in maintaining high levels of coverage is being used to update the voters listlevels of coverage is being used to update the voters list

IFE expects a significant impact on voter list accuracy in the IFE expects a significant impact on voter list accuracy in the following years. following years.

The future of the voter’s registration list in The future of the voter’s registration list in MexicoMexico

To guarantee the To guarantee the high levels of coverage and accuracy high levels of coverage and accuracy of the of the Electoral roll. Electoral roll.

To extend the use of the To extend the use of the multibiometric identification multibiometric identification of the of the citizens (10 fingerprints, iris).citizens (10 fingerprints, iris).

To reinforce the security levels and To reinforce the security levels and data protectiondata protection of the of the Electoral Roll.Electoral Roll.

To pass toward a To pass toward a new “generation” new “generation” of Photo ID Vote Card: of Photo ID Vote Card: that its 2 functions (vote and personal identification) will be that its 2 functions (vote and personal identification) will be supported by the needed legal reforms.supported by the needed legal reforms.

To protect the To protect the citizen confidence citizen confidence to their Electoral to their Electoral instruments.instruments.