Use of biometric system in 2022 depends on funding

GUESTS and media personnel were taken through the biometric system that will most likely be used in next year’s general election.
Acting Electoral Commissioner Simon Sinai said that the system would be used should funding be available.
“This system can be used nationwide but if there is not enough funding, then the system cannot be used nationwide during 2022,” he said.
The system is provided by Credence ID which is a US company that rolled out the new mobile biometric voter registration system last October in Central’s Kupiano in Abau.
The mobile registration can simultaneously collect fingerprints, face, signature and location of where the voters will be enrolled.
The application was shown to guests at the Electoral Office yesterday.
In line with the biometric system, the EC is also looking at common roll look-up in line with updating its system.
This includes the voter texting his or her name to a number provided by EC with the details of the person’s eligibility texted back and location to vote.
Sinai said the funding available would allow for the common roll to be available online for those with smart phones and access to internet to check their names on the roll.
“With the new roll look-up, we are trying to avoid challenges of hacking into the system to change names,” he said.
“Once we ensure there is no security threat, anyone with access to internet can go on line, type their name into the system and check whether they are on the roll or where they will vote.”