According to the Organic Law no 2012-027, decreeing the formation of the CENI (Commission Electorale Nationale Independente), Article 3, CENI  is responsible, in collaboration with the Ministry of Interior and Decentralization, for the preparation and revision of the electoral register, and carrying out the electoral census.

According to the D?cret n?2009/049 du 4 f?vrier fixant les modalit?s du troisi?me recensement administratif ? vocation ?lectorale compl?mentaire pour la r?vision de la liste ?lectorale (2009), the  Independent National Elections Commission controls and supervises the preparation, organization and execution of elections and referendum and shall, in particular, good material organization of elections. As such, it is responsible, in particular, for control, supervision and monitoring the preparation, review and management of the electoral register and scheduling of the election. Eligible voters for Mauritania elections include all registered citizens of Mauritania who are least 18 year old, who enjoy their civil and political rights. The data used to create the electoral register is derived from the census results.