The Question

This question is posted on behalf of Jon Pammett, member of the Practitioners' Network.

I am a Canadian political scientist working on a report about internet voting. My subject has to do with consultations which may have been held with the general public, or with particular stakeholder groups, at various stages in the trials and implementation of such an internet voting system. Can anyone point me to particular cases where such consultations have occurred?

Thanks for your help.

Jon Pammett

Summary of Responses

Members of the Practitioners Network provided several examples where consultations have been held with the general public or stakeholder groups during trial and implementation stages of internet voting systems. Such consultations have been held in Norway, where the company Scytl has implemented an internet voting system, as well as in Canada. Finally, a number of studies and surveys have been completed to consult voters in Switzerland regarding internet voting initiatives; and a referendum was held in Geneva on whether internet voting should be included in the legal framework.

Examples of Related ACE Articles and Resources

• Internet Voting
• Remote E-voting and External Voting
• Australia: The Politics of the Future: Internet and the Electoral Process

External Resources

• International Experience with E-Voting: Norwegian E-Vote Project (IFES 2012)
• Archive for Online voting (E-voting.CC)
• Schweizerische Bundeskanzlei

Names of Contributors

• Staffan Darnolf
• Oleksiy Lychkovakh
• Nadja Braun
• George Le Mac
• Michel Chevallier
• Richard Kidd
• Thibauth Ange.G Olende
• Bucumi Julius

Morning,

The ongoing internet voting project in Norway is a good case in point. Would suggest you reach out to them.

Best,

Staffan

I agree, that the Norway intenet voting system is very advanced one. It has being implemented by the company I work for: Scytl (www.scytl.com). However there are some very good examples in Canada too. For this purpose you may want t contact our office there:

Scytl Canada

1155 North Service Road West, Unit 11
Oakville ON, L6M 3E3 - Canada
Tel: +1 289-291-4035

[email protected]

The Swiss e-voting project has been accompanied by several studies and surveys including interviews with participants etc. (cf. http://www.bk.admin.ch/themen/pore/evoting/06552/index.html?lang=de).

Best

Nadja

Thank you everyone.  I have visited Norway and Switzerland to talk to a variety of practitioners, and am familiar with the Canadian situation.  I am in contact with Scytl Canada as well.

JP

Online Party of Canada can be one of such exemple...George

Jon,

As I probably mentioned when we met, we conducted in Geneva a survey on the desirability of internet voting and held a binding referendum before enshrining internet voting in our legal order.

I remain at your disposal.

Michel

Where electoral governance so permits, my Company, Australian Election Company, utilises secure, remote, Internet Voting. I personally have had involvement with Internet & Telephone Voting since 2000; so we do have real, practical insight and experience in the use and application of secure, remote Internet Voting. Please feel free to make contact.

Je viens ajouter en disant que cette nouvelle technologie du domaine electoral va peut etre aussi participer a l'amelioration du taux de participation aux elections dans certains pays d'Afrique.

A votre disposition,    

Ange

Internet voting is good to improve elections management especially to increase the voter turnout, to reduce the voter fatigue, the distance between voters and polling stations, the transport expenses and gaining the time.

But it is subject to many interpretations and doubts. All depends up on the level of development of the population of each country. Developed countries may not have the problem of being familiar with that technology. They know how it functions. But, for under-developed countries or as they diplomatically, say, developing countries, still have the huge problem of trusting the system.

It is a new system, they don't know how it functions, they can not trust the outcomes of elections, obtained through that complex technology. They need some thing tangible  they can see and manipulate like election results sheets and recount in case of doubts or problems.

The technology puts the destiny of the whole population in the hands of few people, experts in ICT and which is difficult to trust when  people are competing to get in power with different views, ideologies and interests.

To reach that target of internet voting in developing countries, there must be enough time for civic and voter education to change the attitudes of the people. There must be a kind of trust building for the EMBs and  between all stakesholders themselves.

The problem of poverty and good governance must be tackled with serious attention because it seems to be at the origin of suspicions and mistrust and undermines the trust as said above.

Ones who are in power want to remain there, and the ones who are not in power want to get it by force or illegal ways . To be in power is perceived as the only way of earning one's and friends' lives and to loose it is perceived as a death. That perception must be changed.

Internet voting also requires means and knowledge of using it. Training will be a sine qua non requirement to be done to allow people to use the internet.

Challenges are huge and we still have a long journey to do. Let us go and face the challenges, the results will be sweet.

Julius BUCUMI

Inspector of Justice in Burundi