Biometric Elections in Poor Countries: Wasteful or a Worthwhile Investment? - Working Paper 435

Alan Gelb

No 435, Working Papers from Center for Global Development

Abstract: Elections have emerged as a leading area for the application of biometric technology in developing countries, despite its high costs and uncertainty over its effectiveness. One-off voter registrations, as practiced in many countries and supported by donors, also often leave nothing behind in terms of permanent, sustainable, identification assets. Why then do donors support such programs? The paper considers the costs and benefits of technology, where the latter involves its potential to reduce the probability of seriously disputed elections that escalate into violence.

Keywords: biometrics; elections; democracy; development (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D72 D74 F35 O32 O33 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 27 pages
Date: 2016-08
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-pol
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:cgd:wpaper:435

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