27462: Hermantin(News)Biometric voter cards (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

lhermantin@hotmail.com

Sun Sentinel


Biometric voter cards





February 4, 2006



Haiti distributed its first national identity cards to registered voters for 
uesday's elections. Some details about the registration process and the cards:

- About 80 percent of Haitians have no reliable identity papers. Witnesses 
vouched for those registering to vote without any papers.

- About 80 percent of Haitians are illiterate. Personal marks were accepted as 
signatures.

- Cards contain voter photograph and fingerprint. Eventually, cards could hold 
tax data and property and education records.

- Estimated 4.5 million Haitians eligible to vote, 3.5 million registered, 3.1 
million distributed by Thursday.

- Cards produced in Mexico plant by Digimarc Corp., an Oregon company

SOURCES: Hait election officials, digimarc.com
Copyright © 2006, South Florida Sun-Sentinel