Estonia continues e-voting growth

Computers and technology play an integral role in just about every aspect of modern life. Smartphones allow people to connect with one another from all around the world through social networks. Computerized point of sale machines allow companies not only to track the transactions coming through the cash register, but also have real-time inventory information at their fingertips. However, for any number of reasons, many elections around the globe are still conducted in an analog format with paper ballots counted by hand. Modern democracies need to be precisely that: modern.

One democratic system that has been leading the charge for electronic voting technology for a number of years already is the one found in the democratic parliamentary republic of Estonia in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. The Estonian i-voting system has been heralded as a shining example of how e-voting can be best adopted, adapted and implemented in a modern democracy. Fantastic checks and balances are in place to verify and authenticate the identity of voters, security is top-notch and performance has been exceptional.

This isn't to say that the early experiences of e-voting in Estonia were completely and utterly problem-free and this isn't to say that many Estonians didn't voice their concerns over how e-voting would work and how it would impact their democracy. Since then, e-voting has continued to grow and Estonia's model is a great example of what a digitized democracy can and should look like.

Given this, it should be of little surprise that the adoption rates for e-voting in Estonia are also continuing to grow. According to some of the most recent reports and statistics on the matter, e-voting grew some twenty-five percent in the recent Estonia parliamentary election. A total of 176,328 voters used the online voting system in the Estonian election, offering a positive trend against the parliamentary elections of 2011. More and more people are using the online e-voting system and this trend is projected to continue for the next election too.

E-voting offers “clear benefits to voters, in terms of convenience, accessibility and ease of use.” The e-voting platform in Estonia is based on “tried and true” technologies that have withstood the test of time and survived tremendous scrutiny. This isn't to say that the electoral officials of Estonia are simply sitting on their laurels either, as they continue to innovate with new modalities, even opening up the i-voting source code to the public in late 2013 to encourage further development and innovation for not only Estonia, but also for other elections around the globe.

Indeed, the Centre of Excellence for Internet Voting was established in Estonia in 2014 by Smartmatic and Cybernetica. It works with the Estonian government to continue advancing Internet voting in the European nation and to export these advances and developments to international democracies too. “Estonia is one of the most digitised countries in the world,” said Smartmatic Internet Voting Director Michael Summers. “And [it] boasts an impressive culture of e-government [with the] backing of the political parties.”

A democracy needs to be truly accessible and transparent, while maintaining a high degree of security and confidentiality. Estonia's growth in e-voting and i-voting is a testament to what a clear vision and dedication to its advancement can create.

Credible elections to find durable peace

Sri Lanka is looking forward to a more fair and legitimate
voting process (Image Wikipedia)

Although the possibility to register votes by electronic means has been around for a few decades, automated voting is part of a young industry, in which not all providers have proficient technology, and clients (electoral commissions) still have a lot of learning to do in terms of technology adoption. Previous poor implementations in countries such as Germany, Ireland or the United States generated animosity in the eyes of public opinion, and prevented citizens from benefiting from the many advantages e-voting has to offer.

Fortunately, experiences in countries such as India, Venezuela, and Brazil which started automating elections decades ago, and more recent success stories in the Philippines, Mongolia, and Estonia, are shedding some light on this nascent industry.

Sri Lanka, is one of those nations looking at the positive experiences India has had with electronic voting in order to implement it and achieve legitimate results which are trusted by all parties involved. After the debated reelection of President Percy Mahndra Rajapaksa in 2010, election automation became an evident necessity. A Hong Kong-based Asian Human Rights Commission questioned the credibility of the election stating ''very clearly, the question as to whether Sri Lanka is any longer capable of conducting a free and fair election has been raised in this election,'' (…) ''It is not only the electoral process that is under challenge. The very process of receiving, preserving and counting the ballot at the commissioner's office itself is an issue that has been prominently raised.''

In spite these recent scandals, this young nation seems to have given a crucial step towards better electoral processes as the government showed the political will to use technology to improve the transparency of the electoral roll. Now, according to the Chief Government Whip Minister, Dinesh Gunawardena, it is ready to further advance in that direction. "New legislation has to be enacted for an open elector registration system to be established. Copies of the computerized register of voters, on compact disks, are already being made available to recognized political parties on the request of secretaries of political parties," he said.

 

According to Mr. Gunawardena, Sri Lanka is looking closely at India's experience in electronic voting. As the northern Indian neighbors Nepal and Pakistan did, this young nation will seek advice from one of the pioneers in e-voting.

Only three years ago, the armed forces of Sri Lanka were still fighting separatist movements. Throughout time, experience has proven that the most effective means to settle differences are legitimate elections. Hopefully, the legal frame will be arranged within a reasonable time frame so the nation can automate its electoral process and execute credible elections which will lead to everlasting peace.