If the EMB uses technology to collect voter registration data, is biometric data captured and used during registration?

Namibia, Electoral Act 5 of 2014 (as of 12 June 2019) [PDF in English], accessed 3 December 2019

Registration of applicant

30. (1) If the registration officer is of the opinion that an applicant qualifies to be registered as such, or if the applicant is a person referred to the registration officer concerned by the electoral tribunal under section 29(13), the registration officer must register, subject to the other provisions of this Chapter, the applicant in respect of the election for which he or she has so applied for registration as provided in section 26(1), by -

(a) duly completing, in accordance with the information contained in the application form;

(b) requiring the applicant -

(i) to sign the voter registration card so completed in the space provided for that purpose;

(ii) if the applicant cannot write his or her name, to place his or her finger print where possible or, as the case may be, a mark placed by the applicant on the application form in accordance with section 26(2)(d)(ii), on the registration form in the space provided for that purpose or in accordance with the instructions of the registration officer concerned;

(iii) in the case of a registration by electronic or digital means, to submit to the taking of a digital image;

(iv) in the case of a registration by electronic or digital means, to submit to the taking of digital fingerprints where possible; […]

Namibia, ECN, Voters' Registration Kit, accessed 3 December 2019

“Biometrics (or biometric authentication) refers to the identification of humans by their characteristics or traits. Biometrics is used in computer science as a form of identification and access control. What is the VRK? The Voter Registration Kit (VRK) is the computerized unit that captures the voter data. It comprises a computer (laptop), a fingerprint scanner, signature pad and camera. In addition, the mobile voter registration kit (MVRK) has a printer component that allows voter cards to be printed at the registration point.”