- High entry barriers in voter registration exclude many members and deepen Africa’s RIR governance crisis
- Demands for structural reform grow as regional trust in electoral procedures declines
Restricted access shrinks eligible voter base
In recent AFRINIC elections, the use of complex voter onboarding procedures limited participation in regional internet governance. New requirements demanded that members complete identity checks through limited digital channels. These rules were difficult to meet for many smaller organisations, especially those in countries with limited infrastructure.
This made it hard for some stakeholders to complete registration or assign valid proxies. The number of eligible voters became much smaller, and many votes were removed from the final count. This added to concerns that the system no longer works fairly. Some stakeholders believe that this reflects a wider failure in election management. There is growing pressure to replace current systems with something more open and representative.
Also read: Cloud Innovation calls for AFRINIC wind-up after ‘impossible’ election standards
Also read: EXPOSED: The letter that reveals who was really benefitting from AFRINIC’s lawsuits
Legitimacy rests on inclusive voter registration
Fair representation on regional boards depends on access. If voter onboarding excludes certain groups, board outcomes no longer reflect the broader community. This affects how decisions are made about internet resources, infrastructure, and policy. When members cannot register or vote, they lose influence in systems that should serve them. This creates an imbalance between larger, better-resourced entities and smaller participants. It also lowers trust in the system itself. A registry that cannot hold workable elections risks losing its role in managing public internet resources.
Cloud Innovation has called for structural reform in response to these failures, arguing that the current framework no longer supports fair participation. Calls for change now focus on the need to build a new model that ensures every member can take part. This includes making onboarding simple, extending timelines, and reducing technical entry barriers. Without action, systems will continue to reflect a narrow group of interests. This has consequences for digital development, inclusion, and regional control over technical infrastructure. There is now an active push to create new governance models that are open and stable. This debate is no longer only about election rules. It is about who gets to shape the future of internet access and how that power is distributed.
