Electronic voting systems globally have undergone rapid evolution in the last few decades. Lesotho has also embraced these technological advancements, experiencing notable progress in electronic voting systems. Lesotho’s journey to modernize the voting system progresses continuously, reflecting ongoing efforts to modernize the voting process. In 2001 the Optical Mark Reading (OMR) system was introduced, followed by the implementation of the Mobile Registration Units (MRU) in 2009, featuring various modernization efforts over the years.
For more than two decades, Toppan Gravity has been the trusted partner of the Lesotho Independent Electoral Commission (IEC). Today, after 24 years of collaboration, Toppan Gravity is still involved and tasked with modernizing the country’s voting system and proudly continues on this path.
Lesotho, or the Kingdom of Lesotho, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa with a population of over 2.2 million people. With over 72% of the population eligible to vote and over 25% of eligible voters residing overseas, the pressing need for convenience arises with remote voting methods.
Toppan Gravity aims to revolutionize the voting system through the introduction of electronic voting systems. Integrating E-voting emerges as a crucial opportunity to enhance convenience and accessibility for Lesotho voters. This step reflects Toppan Gravity’s effort to adapt to the ever-evolving voting technology ensuring a secure and efficient voting experience.
With Toppan Gravity, people queueing to get registered is a picture of the past as registration takes a new direction, with a mission to revolutionize the IEC’s Voter Registration Management System (VRM). The objectives guiding this transformative journey include:
▪ Ensuring the inclusion of all qualifying Lesotho citizens as voters in line with the country’s law and constitution.
▪ Removing barriers to both voter registration and ballot casting for all citizens
To implement these objectives, in 2022, Toppan and Lesotho’s IEC made it their goal to utilize web-enabled software to efficiently and accurately process and manage voter registrations while ensuring optimal security and confidentiality.
Web portals can streamline the voter registration process through the following means:
▪ Easy registration for first-time voters
▪ Trouble-free updates to previously collected voter data
▪ Improved accuracy of voter registration information
▪ Increased acceptance and trust in voter registration and ballot-casting systems
▪ Fostering widespread civic participation through voting
▪ Promoting IEC credibility among all stakeholders
Web portals offer a transformative shift in voting systems, as they seamlessly operate on mobile devices provided by the IEC. This alternative not only presents a more cost-effective option compared to the previously used expensive, task-specific, and single-use devices but also does not compromise information security. Historically, big expenses out of the IEC budget have been dedicated to procuring and maintaining single-use MRU kits; moreover, immediately retrieving user data using MRU kits has proven to be difficult, justifying the shift to web-enabled voting software.
With the use of web portals on mobile devices, the IEC can cut costs and easily monitor and access information, but web-enabled software can also facilitate accessibility and ease voter burden.
Voting registration through web portals and mobile devices optimizes and expedites the voting registration process in a few straightforward steps:
1. Users first create profiles and verify their contact methods through a One-Time Password (OTP)
2.Users then report their designated voting region and constituency
3.Users provide their National Identification Number and verify their identity through a selfie and a picture of their identification card. Biometric authentication is verified through back-office, manual adjudication processes
4.Users may go back at any time to amend or modify any recorded information as they deem necessary, within the regulations of the IEC
Toppan Gravity’s comprehensive solution provides the Lesotho IEC with web-enabled software. As part of the roll-out, the solution was pre-downloaded on Android devices. All subsequent software updates are managed through MDM (Mobile Device Management) Studio. The solution works both online and offline. When online, submissions are uploaded and modified automatically to the central VRMS; when offline, submissions are stored locally and uploaded when internet connectivity is reestablished.
IEC database administrator, Mr. Phenethe Mapepe, commended Toppan Gravity’s solution, stating, “The process of collaborating with Toppan was highly creative. Their online registration system and Android application proved to be very effective, leading to a significant surge in new registrants. This success was attributed to the convenience it offered, enabling people to register from the comfort of their homes and workplaces, and eliminating the necessity to visit IEC registration centers. Within just one month, we successfully registered over 10 thousand new registrants.”
Similarly, the Systems Administrator/Manager, Mr. Silas Tsoeu, of Lesotho IEC expressed, “Aligning ourselves with Industry 4.0 (the Fourth Industrial Revolution), which involves using the latest technology systems, has always been our dream at IEC Lesotho. We consider ourselves fortunate to have Toppan Gravity by our side, providing us with the system we needed to ease our work as an Election Management Body. The software that runs on Android and on a web portal has proven to be highly efficient and user-friendly. With this system, all registered voters are seamlessly captured, facilitating easy reconciliation of transactions.”
Through the adoption of Toppan Gravity’s web-based software solution, the Lesotho IEC has streamlined the accessibility of voting in the country while empowering citizens to enact their civic duties effortlessly. As Lesotho continues to embrace technological advancements in electoral practices, the collaboration with Toppan Gravity stands as a testament to its commitment to fostering a robust and inclusive democracy. Through this pioneering initiative, the IEC Lesotho has not only enhanced the voting experience but has also set the standard for leveraging technology to strengthen democratic institutions and promote citizen engagement.
About Toppan Gravity
Toppan Gravity is a subsidiary of Toppan Leefung, serving as the international development arm of the TOPPAN Group in the security domain. Being part of the most prestigious conglomerate in the industry with decades of experience and multiple well-known references, Toppan Gravity benefits from the TOPPAN Group’s strong market position and extensive expertise. As a global solutions provider primarily focused on the payment and Identity industries, Toppan Gravity aims at developing the next generation of virtual and physical security solutions.
For more information, visit www.africa.toppangravity.com | www.toppangravity.com or contact info@toppangravity.com.
About the TOPPAN Group
Established in Tokyo in 1900, the TOPPAN Group is a leading and diversified global provider committed to delivering sustainable, integrated solutions in fields including printing, communications, security, packaging, décor materials, electronics, and digital transformation. The TOPPAN Group’s global team of more than 50,000 employees offers optimal solutions enabled by industry-leading expertise and technologies to address the diverse challenges of every business sector and society and contribute to the achievement of shared sustainability goals.
For more information, visit www.holdings.toppan.com/en/ or contact www.linkedin.com/company/toppan/
