KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Electoral Commission (ECJ) says it has extended the validity of voters’ ID cards in order to facilitate a new enumeration and re-validation of elector data.

The ECJ recently announced that voters’ ID cards expiring on December 31 will be valid until December 31, 2019. 

READ: Voters’ ID validity extended until December 2019

According to a release from ECJ yesterday evening, the commission will be introducing new technology to capture fingerprints, photographs and facial scans in addition to the demographic information for each elector.

“This device also uses GPS technology to map the individual’s location at the time of registration to aid in the residence verification process. The devices are being carefully considered to ensure value for money as the device selected should be able to be used in future elections to identify electors at polling stations using their fingerprints.”

The commission informed that the exercise is expected to commence sometime in 2018 and last for “about two years”.

The ECJ also said it is seeking to ensure it does not have to further extend the life of the current card.

“Instead, if the new cards become available before December 2019, they will be phased in and the existing cards phased out,” it explained.