ABSTRACT
Nigeria’s electoral system has a poor track record in electoral processes, which has been ascribed to low voter registration. Previously, electoral authorities relied on a manual registration process, which allowed for electoral fraud to occur largely at the state level. Furthermore, because state electoral organizations in Nigeria operate under a federal voter register, there is a need to create “a single, uniform, official, centralized, interactive computerized state voter registration list developed, maintained, and administered at the state level.” This system must be electronic in nature and deployed, as well as a long-term database for storing voter data. The goal of this study is to create and implement an electronic voting registration system that will aid in the collection of correct voter information and storage of that data in a database.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Online voter registration is becoming more popular in states around the country as a way to cut expenses, improve government efficiency, and generate more full and accurate voter lists. As a result of this growth, a wide and increasing set of best practices and problem-solving methodologies for electronic systems and their deployment has emerged. The goal of this project is to demonstrate a web-based voter registration system.
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
The Electoral Commission of Nigeria (NECON) was founded in December 1995 as a result of the military government elections of General Sani Abacha. These elected institutions were not inaugurated before General Abacha’s death in June 1998, which halted the process. The Nigerian Electoral Commission (NECON) was dissolved in 1998 by the administration of then-Head of State General Abdulsalani Abukakar, who then formed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). INEC was in charge of the transitional elections that brought Nigeria’s fourth Republic into being in 1999.
Electoral commissions that are independent of the state (SIECs)
On the 11th of January, 2008, the commission presented their election recommendations alongside the code of conduct. Section 5 (c) of the RSIEC Law No. 2 of 2001, as revised by RSIEC Law No. 6 of 2007, described the commission’s responsibilities as follows: (Anderson, 2008).
1. To plan, conduct, and monitor all local government and council elections in the state.
2. To provide the Independent National Electoral Commission with any guidance it deems essential regarding the compilation of the voter register.
3. Provide political parties with guidelines outlining the norms and procedures for electioneering campaigns in local government elections.
4. To appoint, train, and assign ad-hoc employees in each polling unit to help in the polling process.
5. To organize and monitor all state-wide party primaries and referendums.
6. To ensure that the dates, hours, and locations of public elections and referendums are set, that they are published, and that elections are held in accordance with those dates, times, and locations within the state.
7. To declare the results of all state-wide elections.
STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
Nigerians have widely criticized the lack of a legitimate voter registration as the source of electoral breaches in the country’s electoral system. The Independent National Electoral Commission, which is a national authority, organizes the voter registration. In order to keep track of voters, the State Independent Electoral Commission must rely on INEC. The state’s independent electoral commission is denied the ability to administer its voter rolls as a result of these restrictions. In most circumstances, states must wait for INEC to furnish the voter registration list before holding state elections.
The independent National Electoral Commission’s voter registration list was defective in various ways (Hardy, 2014).
1. There were people in some units who had valid voter’s cards despite the fact that no name of any voter was on the register (the so-called zero units).
2. Many people who showed up with valid voter’s cards did not have their names in the voter’s list.
3. The names of voters were switched across unconnected units and wards.
4. Photographs are missing, and photographs do not match the names on the registry.
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The primary goal of this research is to build and deploy an electronic voter registration system at the state level in order to ensure credible elections.
As a result, the specific goals are as follows:
1. Create a system that will handle the voter registration database’s fundamental information and administration operations (VRD).
2. To put in place an electronic mechanism that will add people to the list and keep track of them during the voting time.
3. Create a system for gathering data for poll books (list of eligible voters in localities for use at polling units).
4. To create software for state voter registration systems that aids local election officials in their work.
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The importance of this project cannot be overstated. This is because the project’s efforts will aid the state in a variety of ways, including organizing credible elections. The state electoral body will also be able to accomplish the following.
1. Hold a free and fair election in your state.
2. Maintain an electronic voter registration list for the state.
3. Find out how strong the state’s voting power is.
4. Disenfranchising electorates must be eliminated.
SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The focus of this study is on the design and implementation of a voter registration system. The focus will be on the usage of electronic devices by the State Independent Electoral Commission (SIEC) in obtaining voter information. The design will address some security concerns, such as recording images of voters for election certification.
LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
The scope of this study was limited to the creation of a database for maintaining state voter registration lists. As a result, it will not cover the national voter registration database.
Due to a time limitation, the program built includes features such as voter card verification and list addition.
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