ECP launches pilot to register voters and reduce gender gap in two districts

The Election Commission of Pakistan started a pilot project on November 1 to register voters in two districts. The commission said the exercise is designed to reduce the gender gap that has persisted on the electoral rolls. Officials have not yet named the two districts in public statements, but the pilot is intended to test procedures that could be scaled nationally if the results meet internal benchmarks.

Pakistan’s electoral rolls have long shown fewer women than men registered to vote. Previous campaigns have focused on mobile registration units and door-to-door drives in areas with large gaps. The new pilot concentrates resources in two districts so that the commission can measure both the number of new registrations and the administrative cost per voter added. Data from the pilot will be reviewed before any decision on wider rollout.

The commission has set a schedule that includes verification of existing entries and outreach to households that have not yet enrolled eligible women. Local election officers will lead the fieldwork. The pilot also tests simplified documentation requirements that the commission hopes will lower barriers for women who lack certain identity papers. Results are expected to be compiled within weeks of the start date.

Civil-society groups that track voter registration have welcomed the focus on the gender gap but have asked for public reporting of the two districts and the baseline numbers. The commission has said it will release summary figures once the pilot concludes. In the meantime, registration centres in the selected districts remain open under the new procedures.

The pilot forms part of the commission’s preparations for future national and provincial elections. Accurate rolls affect both turnout calculations and constituency delimitation. By concentrating on two districts the commission aims to identify which outreach methods produce the highest yield of new women voters. The findings will inform the design of any larger campaign that follows.

Voters in the pilot districts can approach local commission offices or mobile units to complete registration. The commission has advised citizens to bring existing identity documents. The exercise is limited to the two districts for the duration of the pilot and does not alter registration rules elsewhere in the country. Officials will decide on next steps after they review the numbers collected under the trial.