Is the biometric data used in voter identification at polling stations?

Droit Afrique, Senegal Law No. 2021-35 of July 23, 2021 relating to the Electoral Code (Loi n°2021‐35 du 23 juillet 2021 portant Code électoral), accessed 4 February 2025

2. Chapitre 2: Les listes électorales: Section 2 Etablissement et révision des listes électorales: Art.L.38

Section 4 Cartes d’électeur: Art.L.53, Art.L.55.

IFES, Elections in Senegal: 2017 Parliamentary Elections, Frequently Asked Questions, accessed 4 February 2025

“According to Article L.53 of the Electoral Code, the current administration is responsible for the printing and establishment of voter cards at the expense of the state. The National Autonomous Electoral Commission uses a biometric registration system to collect registration data, and equips all permanent and mobile registration sites with computers and other necessary equipment for fingerprint and photograph capture. In addition to personal data, a digital facial image, signature, and four fingerprints are collected from all applicants. The data is then transferred to a central site in the capital city Dakar for eligibility checks. Once the data is approved, it is transferred to a central production system where an automated system quality assures and produces up to 80,000 cards daily. However, technology is not used for voter identification at polling stations and electronic voting.”

The ECOWAS (CEDEAO in French) biometric identity card is used as a voter card. More information can be found here.