USA Simple Civics · Voting around the world

How do countries register voters?

Getting on the voter list, proving who you are, and being required to vote are three different things.

Some countries use government records to build their lists. Others ask people to sign up. At the polls, countries use different ways to check each voter.

28 country and regional examples · Reviewed October 17, 2026

Three separate questions

How do I get on the list?

Registration means adding your name to the list of eligible voters. “Automatic” means officials can use existing records. It does not mean everyone living there can vote.

How do I prove who I am?

An identity check may use a photo ID, other documents, a signature, a fingerprint, or someone who knows you. Checks when signing up and checks when voting can differ.

Do I have to vote?

Compulsory voting means the law requires voting. There may be exceptions or penalties. A country can require registration while leaving voting optional.

Compare countries

These are examples, not a ranking. The small text under each name tells you which election or rules the row covers. Open Sources to see the supporting information.

“No” in the last column means voting is optional. It does not mean there is no registration or identity check. “Yes” can have exceptions. Mexico is shown separately because a legal duty and an enforced requirement are not the same.

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Region

28 examples shown

On a small screen, scroll the table sideways to compare all four columns.

Registration, identity checks, and whether voting is required
Country / election	Getting on the voter list	Identity check when voting in person	Is voting required?
United StatesFederal elections; state rules differ Sources EAC: registration USA.gov: ID rules	Register under your state’s rules. North Dakota has no voter registration. Some states allow registration on Election Day; others have earlier deadlines.	Rules vary by state. Some require photo ID; others accept different proof or do not routinely ask for a document. Special federal rules apply to some first-time voters.	No — voting is optional.
ArgentinaNational elections Sources Election authority	Check your entry and assigned polling table in the national electoral roll.	Bring an accepted physical civic identity document, usually a DNI. Its version must match or be newer than the one on the roll. A phone DNI is not accepted.	Yes — with age and other exceptions. The rules differ for younger and older voters.
AustraliaFederal elections Sources Election authority AEC: polling-place process	Eligible citizens aged 18+ must enroll. Officials can also add or update voters using government records. Voters still need to keep their details correct.	For an ordinary vote, staff ask your name, address, and whether you have already voted. Showing photo ID is not a routine requirement.	Yes — with accepted excuses for not voting.
Brazil2026 general election Sources Election authority	Register with the electoral authorities and check your assigned voting place.	Show an accepted official photo ID. The e-Título phone app works as ID only when it shows your photo.	Yes — generally ages 18–70. Exceptions include people who cannot read or write; voting is optional at 16–17 and over 70.
CanadaFederal elections Sources Elections Canada: registration Elections Canada: ID	Check the national voter list. You can register ahead of time or at your polling place when you vote.	Prove your name and address: qualifying government photo ID; two accepted documents; or a written declaration and an eligible person who confirms your identity and address.	No — voting is optional.
Chile2025 presidential and parliamentary elections Sources Election authority	Check Servel’s official electoral register for your assigned polling place and table.	Chilean voters used a national ID or passport; foreign voters used their foreigner ID. Documents expired within the previous 12 months were also accepted.	Yes — for voting in Chile, with legal exceptions. Rules for voting abroad differ.
ColombiaMay 2026 presidential election Sources Election authority	Check your assigned voting place in the Registraduría’s electoral census.	Use the citizenship ID: the yellow physical card or approved digital ID, in physical or mobile form. A passport does not qualify.	No — voting is optional.
FranceDirect public elections in France Sources Election authority Service Public: automatic entry at 18	Check your registration with your municipality. Some people are added automatically, including 18-year-olds who completed the required earlier citizen registration.	In towns of 1,000 people or more, bring an accepted original ID. Smaller towns do not routinely require ID, but staff can ask for proof if unsure. A voter card is not ID.	No — voting is optional.
Germany2025 Bundestag election Sources Election authority Federal Returning Officer: register	Eligible registered residents were generally added to the voter list and sent a notice. Citizens living abroad generally had to apply.	Bring your voting notice and have your identity card or passport ready. Poll workers can ask to see ID.	No — voting is optional.
Ghana2024 registration; EC polling guidance Sources EC: registration and lost cards Ghana Broadcasting: EC’s 2024 briefing	Apply in person; officials capture your photo and fingerprints. The 2024 exercise accepted a Ghana Card, passport, or a guarantee form backed by two registered voters.	Bring your voter card. The EC says losing it does not stop a registered voter from voting when fingerprint or face checks establish their identity.	No — voting is optional.
India2024 Lok Sabha election Sources Election authority ECI: registration ECI: identity and voter list	Apply to join the electoral roll and check your entry before voting.	Bring your EPIC voter card or an approved alternative photo ID. Having an ID alone does not let someone vote if their name is missing from the roll.	No — voting is optional.
IrelandNational elections Sources Election authority	Check that you are on the voter list; apply or update your details if needed.	Bring accepted proof of identity. Several photo and non-photo options qualify; some need an extra address document. Your polling information card is not required.	No — voting is optional.
JapanNational elections; local administration Sources Fukaya election office: missing notice	Municipal officials maintain the voter list. Check that your name is on it and that your address is current.	The mailed admission notice is helpful but not essential. If you do not have it, staff can check your identity and voter-list entry. Ask your local election office what to bring.	No — voting is optional.
KenyaNational election framework Sources IEBC: registration requirements IEBC: Elections Act, section 10 (PDF) IEBC: July 2026 ruling (PDF)	Register in person with an original national ID card or valid Kenyan passport. Officials capture your photo, fingerprints, and personal details.	An identity document is required as well as the voter-list check. Biometric checks do not replace the need for ID. Ask IEBC about the approved backup process if a check fails.	No — voting is optional.
Mexico2024 federal election Sources Election authority	Apply for the INE voter credential and check that you are on the voting list.	Bring your valid INE voter credential. Officials check it against the list.	Legal duty — not enforced as compulsory voting.
New Zealand2026 general election Sources Election authority Vote NZ: eligibility Vote NZ: at the voting place	Eligible residents must enroll. For the November 7 election, enrollment and updates close at midnight on October 25, 2026.	No ID document is needed at the voting place. The EasyVote card helps staff find your name, but you can vote without it.	No — voting is optional.
NigeriaINEC polling-place guidance Sources INEC: registration services INEC: polling units and checks	Register with INEC, check your assigned polling unit, and collect your Permanent Voter Card (PVC).	Bring a valid PVC. Officials also use BVAS, a device that checks fingerprints or faces, to confirm the voter.	No — voting is optional.
Norway2025 parliamentary election Sources Election authority Valgdirektoratet: voter list	Eligible residents were added using the national population register.	Normally show ID with your name, birth date, and photo. A poll worker who knows you can confirm who you are. Special help is available in institutions.	No — voting is optional.
Philippines2025 national and local elections Sources Election authority COMELEC: Resolution 11076 (PDF) AFP: poll rules and COMELEC clarification	Apply in person with COMELEC. Officials collect identity and residence information, a photo, fingerprints, and a signature.	Staff check the photo or signature in the voter list. If identity is unclear, they may ask for valid ID. A poll-board member or registered voter from the precinct can also identify the voter under oath.	No — voting is optional.
SingaporeParliamentary and presidential elections Sources Election authority	Eligible citizens aged 21+ are placed on the roll using official records. Check your status, especially if you missed a past election.	Bring an original or approved digital national ID, an accepted uniformed-service ID, or a valid passport. A poll card does not replace ID.	Yes — non-voters are removed from the roll and must apply to restore their names. Accepted excuses can avoid the fee.
South Africa2024 national and provincial elections Sources Election authority	Apply to register with an accepted South African ID. You can register from 16 and vote from 18. Give your address; a proof-of-address document is not required.	Bring a green barcoded ID book, smart ID card, or valid temporary ID certificate. These are South African identity documents.	No — voting is optional.
South KoreaDomestic voting; NEC 2026 guidance Sources Election authority NEC: electoral system guide (PDF)	Local governments prepare voter lists from resident records. Overseas voting has separate registration rules.	Bring an accepted photo ID, such as a resident card, passport, or driving licence. Approved mobile IDs can also be used.	No — voting is optional.
SpainNational elections; 2026 ID update Sources Interior: voting documents Election board: April 2026 confirmation	Check your entry in the official electoral census and your assigned polling place.	Bring an original DNI identity card, passport, or photo driving licence. The election board suspended use of MiDGT and MiDNI phone apps in March 2026. Do not rely on older guidance allowing them.	No — voting is optional.
Sweden2026 parliamentary election Sources Election authority Valmyndigheten: voter list	The voter list uses population records from 30 days before the election. Citizens abroad have extra rules.	Show ID, have a poll worker who knows you confirm your identity, or have another adult with ID confirm it.	No — voting is optional.
TaiwanPublic-office elections Sources Election authority CEC: how voter lists are made	Election officials prepare voter lists from household registration records. Age and residence rules depend on the election.	Bring your national identity card, personal seal, and voting notice. The national ID is the key identity document.	No — voting is optional.
United Kingdom — EnglandUK Parliament and English local elections Sources Election authority	Apply to join the voter list and keep your name and address up to date.	Accepted photo ID is required. Voters without it can apply ahead of time for a free Voter Authority Certificate.	No — voting is optional.
United Kingdom — Northern IrelandElections in Northern Ireland Sources Electoral Commission: NI rules	Register on Northern Ireland’s voter list.	Bring an accepted photo ID. A free Electoral Identity Card is available. Expired ID can work if the photo still looks like you; accepted passport types depend on the election.	No — voting is optional.
United Kingdom — Scotland and WalesUK Parliament; devolved and local elections Sources Election authority	Apply to join the voter list. Check which elections you are eligible to vote in.	Photo ID is required for UK Parliament elections, but not Scottish Parliament, Senedd, or local council elections here. Wales also requires it for Police and Crime Commissioner elections.	No — voting is optional.

Compulsory-voting comparison: International IDEA: laws and enforcement. Country sources explain specific exceptions.

What the rules tell us—and what they do not

“No photo ID” does not mean “no checks”

Canada allows more than one way to prove identity and address. Sweden allows another adult with ID to confirm who a voter is. Australia checks answers against the voter list. The exact process matters.

A national ID system changes the comparison

Some countries use a national identity card or a resident register for many public services. A voting rule built around that system may work differently from one in a country with separate state records.

Look at access as well as safeguards

Useful questions include: Is accepted ID free? Can people get it nearby? What happens after a move, a lost card, or a failed fingerprint check? Can a mistake be corrected before the deadline?

This table does not measure election quality

A document rule alone does not tell us how much fraud occurs, how many eligible people are turned away, or how many vote. Those questions need separate evidence. This page compares the rules, not which country is “best.”

About the sources

Sources were reviewed on October 17, 2026. Some describe a specific 2024 or 2025 election; others describe 2026 or general procedures. A review date does not turn an older election rule into a new one.

Most links go to election offices or government guidance. Ghana’s 2024 registration row also uses Ghana Broadcasting’s report of an Electoral Commission briefing. The Philippines row includes AFP’s reproduction and explanation of COMELEC’s 2025 polling instructions. International IDEA supplies the broader compulsory-voting comparison.

The table focuses on ordinary in-person voting. Mail voting, overseas voters, disability accommodations, and local elections may have different rules. France’s entry concerns direct public voting, not the separate rules for officials who elect senators. The United Kingdom is split into three examples because its polling ID rules differ.

Compare voting technology around the world →