Maintaining EMB Oversight
As EMBs are rarely able to develop all of the required elections technology themselves, most will need to rely on vendors to some extent. Where much of the electoral process is outsourced, the roles and responsibilities of the EMB and vendors need to be clearly delineated to ensure that the EMB has full oversight of the process. A reasonable option is that the vendor’s role is to develop and maintain electoral ICT systems, while the EMB’s role is to configure the system and operate it during the election.
Accountability and Integrity
The lack of any tangible evidence of transactions in computer systems and the incomprehensibility of computer programming to the bulk of the population lead to a lack of transparency. This lack of transparency — combined with the risks of interference with data and widely publicized media reports of computer viruses, hackers and system malfunctions; and an increasing awareness of online surveillance — can affect EMBs’ credibility. When relying on computer systems for vital tasks such as voter registration, voting and vote counting, EMBs are expected to be openly accountable for their use of technology.
Measures that EMBs can take to ensure the integrity of their computer-based systems include:
- rigorous pre-implementation testing of computer systems and public release of the results of the tests;
- robust ICT policies that cover all aspects of technology use, including acceptable access to and use of ICT equipment and data, physical security of ICT equipment, data security, back-up, retention, archiving and disposal, appropriate of use email and social media, and disciplinary measures for cases of deliberate or serious breaches;
- regular auditing of computer systems, with particular attention paid to their security features;
- making test versions of source codes for computer systems available for public comment (for example, the Electoral Commission of the Australian Capital Territory posted proposed code for its computer-based vote recording and counting system on its website and invited comments from computer professionals);
- independent, third-party certification of computer systems based on national and international standards, guidelines, recommendations and requirements to confirm that the system complies with prescribed technical requirements and standards; and
- holding an authenticated copy of the authorized codes in an independently controlled off-site location, as has been recommended in the USA. Regular comparison of this with the code being used in the EMB can detect and remove any unauthorized changes.
Focus on the Whole Electoral Process
When new technology is used for the first time, when a significant part of the election preparations and budget is invested in technology, and when there are great expectations of the impact of technology, ICT aspects of elections tend to attract a lot of EMB and public interest. In this situation, it is important that this attention does not come at the price of neglecting other, equally important, components of the electoral process.
Inclusiveness
Technology tends to benefit the more affluent and educated citizens more than other, disadvantaged parts of society. Therefore the introduction of new technology needs to be accompanied by measures that ensure equal access for the entire electorate, including voters with special needs, voters in rural areas with less access to infrastructure, elderly voters and those who feel less confident using technology.
Sustainability of Donor-funded Technology
With high costs and short usage spans, elections technology is difficult to sustain — particularly in post-conflict settings and emerging democracies, where a challenging environment, limited and unreliable infrastructure, and possibly low trust in a newly established EMB require even more complex ICT solutions. Unfortunately, this is precisely the context in which donors may be willing to invest heavily in technology, hoping to facilitate the smooth conduct of the election. Such an investment risks delivering one well-administered election, but creating sustainability problems in the long run. With only the next election in focus, little consideration is given to maintaining the system and related expertise for future elections, especially when donor funding is no longer available. Systems, services and expertise that can be efficiently procured by an assistance provider through their procurement channels and networks may be difficult and expensive to obtain following national procurement regulations on the local market.
Selecting Appropriate Technology
The most advanced, high-tech solutions are not necessarily the most suitable technologies for use in the electoral process. Appropriate technology is designed with consideration of its economic, social and environmental impact as well as its affect on the entire electoral process. Simpler systems that still fulfill all requirements are usually more appropriate, require fewer resources and maintenance, and have a lower TCO.
