To register as a voter in Kenya, take your original national identity card or a valid Kenyan passport to an IEBC registration centre. You must appear in person: an IEBC officer checks your document and captures your registration details and biometrics. IEBC’s voter education guidance lists the ID and passport as alternative documents, so you do not need to carry both.
For someone preparing to vote in the 2027 General Election, the most useful checklist is short:
- Your original Kenyan national identity card, or
- Your valid Kenyan passport.
Bring the document itself. Knowing its number or carrying a photograph of it is not the same as presenting the original document to the registration officer.
Can you register with a passport instead of an ID?
Yes. IEBC’s voter registration guidance accepts a valid Kenyan passport as an alternative to a national ID. Its guidance for registering prisoners likewise specifies an original Kenyan ID or a valid passport. A passport from another country does not establish that the applicant is a Kenyan citizen for this purpose.
There is a point worth clarifying. A March 2026 IEBC Gazette notice described eligible applicants as being in possession of a valid Kenyan passport “and” national identity card. That wording differs from IEBC’s voter education guidance, which says “or.” Before turning away someone who has a valid Kenyan passport but no ID, readers should confirm the requirement with their IEBC constituency office. TopNews will update this guide if IEBC issues a clarification for the 2027 registration period.
Is a birth certificate enough?
A birth certificate is not listed by IEBC as a document for voter registration. Nor does its voter education checklist list a waiting card or an application receipt in place of the original ID or valid Kenyan passport. If you are waiting for an ID, obtain the ID or use a valid Kenyan passport before visiting a registration centre.
Do you need passport photos or a voter card?
You do not need to bring passport photos for the ordinary biometric registration process. IEBC’s registration equipment includes a camera that captures the voter’s facial image, along with a fingerprint scanner. iebc.or.ke
You also do not need an existing voter card to register for the first time. IEBC says it issues registered voters an acknowledgement slip showing their details, but the slip itself is not a requirement for voting. Keep it so you can check the details recorded during registration.
What else should you know before going?
The document is only one part of eligibility. A first-time applicant must be a Kenyan citizen aged 18 or above and meet the other legal qualifications for registration. Registration is done in person, allowing the officer to check the applicant’s identity and capture their details.
Check where IEBC is currently offering the service before travelling. Its March 2026 enhanced registration exercise used constituency offices alongside other locations, while the notice said continuous registration would resume at constituency offices after that exercise. Locations and special registration drives can change.
Already registered? You do not need to register again simply because the 2027 election is approaching. Check your entry in IEBC’s voter verification portal and follow the relevant process if your details or polling station need changing
