A reliable voter list is a necessary precondition for free and fair elections. However, many developing
countries have persistent difficulties in registering their electors and establishing their identity. Following
polemics about the quality of existing voter rolls, these countries have recently introduced reforms to their
voter registration systems, such as the adoption of voter IDs and of biometric technology. Looking at three
West African countries – Benin, Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana – this paper argues that the impact of these
reforms has been mixed, that economic costs have not always been justified and that sophisticated
technology does not guarantee the success and acceptance of voter registration.