Colombia Prepares for Historic Inclusion in 2026 Elections with New ID Categories

As Colombia approaches a pivotal election year, the National Registry of Civil Status (Registraduría Nacional) is implementing a sweeping series of technical and logistical changes designed to promote inclusion in the 2026 election, making it the most inclusive electoral cycle in Colombia’s history. 

With legislative elections scheduled for March 8 and the presidential contest set for May 31, the electoral authority has introduced significant reforms to recognize diverse gender identities on official documents, while simultaneously rolling out

In a move described by National Registrar Hernan Penagos as an advancement for democracy, the registry has formally included the categories of “nonbinary” (NB) and “trans” (T) within the sex field of civil registries and identity documents. This adjustment is the culmination of a process that began in 2024, involving complex modifications to the state’s identification infrastructure.

The overhaul was extensive. Enabling these new categories required modifications to more than 80 modules within the registry’s system, the implementation of additional security controls, and adjustments across databases, printing processes, and the “Digital ID” application.

The changes also needed updates to ensure interoperability between internal systems and external query services used by other entities.

The decision to increase inclusion in Colombia’s 2026 election is designed to increase trust

The initiative has been welcomed by advocacy groups as a step toward repairing the often-fraught relationship between the state and the LGBTIQ+ community.

“LGBTIQ+ people have generated a mistrust in state institutions, and the fact that today we can have a strategic ally at the national level like the Registry allows us to recover that trust,” said Ale Gomez Restrepo, coordinator of Advocacy and Litigation at the GAAT Foundation. Gomez emphasized that the Registry’s work is fundamental not just at the central level, but territorially.

Beyond the documentation updates, the Registry is currently developing specific protocols to minimize barriers that trans people face when exercising their right to vote. The administrative changes comply with Constitutional Court rulings T-033 of 2022 and T-527 of 2024. 

Citizens wishing to update their sex on identity documents must initiate the process at a notary via a public deed, which serves as the basis for replacing their civil registry of birth and rectifying their citizenship card.

For the upcoming election cycle, the Registry has also planned “special and preferential” attention strategies for persons with disabilities, aiming to ensure that the 2026 polls are accessible to all Colombians.