A comprehensive explanation of where Europe stands today in terms of e-voting adoption and where it is heading.

1. Bird’s eye view of E-voting in Europe
4th Annual meeting of election management bodies
Stakeholder engagement and effective communication
Tbilisi, Georgia
24 – 26 February, 2014

2. Bird’s eye view on E-voting in Europe
Where we are today and where we are heading?
Matthijs Schippers
VP Sales Western / Northern Europe
Smartmatic International, Amsterdam

3. Electronic voting methods
Electronic voting
Polling station
E-counting
E-voting
Remote voting
Internet voting
Tele voting

4. E-counting implementations
Russia
2001: Pilots with ballot scanning
2004: BPC’s certified and used in 9,112 precincts in 32 subjects of
the Russian federation
2010: BPC’s used in 798 precincts in 10 subjects of the Russian
federation

5. E-counting implementations
United Kingdom
2000: Precinct scanning for some districts for London Assembly and Mayoral
elections
2004: Precinct scanning for some districts for London Assembly and Mayoral
elections
2008: Central scanning for Greater London Assembly and Mayoral elections
2012: Central scanning for Greater London Assembly and Mayoral elections

6. E-counting implementations
Scotland
2007: Nation wide use of regional e-counting centers for National
parliament and local elections
2012: 31 regional e-counting centers for National parliament and
local elections with new scanning systems

7. E-counting implementations
Norway
2011: Central ballot scan center for local election Oslo

8. E-counting implementations
Latvia
2011: E-counting for Parliamentary elections in 31% of all polling
stations

9. E-voting implementations
The Netherlands
1967: First implementation of mechanical voting machines
1978: First implementation of electro-mechanical voting machines
1992: First implementation of electronic voting machines (DRE’s)
2007: 95% of all municipalities vote with DRE’s

10. E-voting implementations
Belgium
1992: First pilots in two municipalities
1994: First implementation of voting PC’s with monochrome CRT
displays, light pen and magnetic swipe ballot tickets
2010: 2 certified types voting PC’s in use by 44% of all voters

11. E-voting implementations
Germany
1975: First implementation of mechanical voting machines
1999: First implementation of electronic voting machines
2008: 5 states vote with 2 types of DRE’s

12. E-voting implementations
Ireland
2001: First use in 1 county for the Nice referendum
2002: 1000 DRE’s used in 3 counties for General elections
2004: Central procurement of DRE’s for nation wide roll out

13. E-voting implementations
France
2001: First pilots with DRE’s
2004: First implementation of 3 types of DRE’s for European
elections
2007: 80 municipalities use DRE’s for Presidential and national
parliamentary elections

14. E-voting implementations
Russia
2005: First pilot with EVC’s
2007: First implementation of EVC’s in 21 precincts in 5 regions for
parliamentary and presidential elections
2011: Use of EVC’s in 10 precincts in 1 Russian republic

15. E-voting pilots
United Kingdom
2002: Pilots in Bolton,
Stratford upon
Avon, Chester,
Liverpool
Finland
2008: Pilots in 13
municipalities
for local
elections
Italy
2006: Pilots in Cremona
2008: Pilots in Trentino

16. Where are we today?
Ireland: Abandoned E-voting
The Netherlands: Abandoned E-voting
Germany: Abandoned E-voting
France: Moratorium for new municipalities
Finland : Discontinued E-voting pilots
United Kingdom: Discontinued E-voting pilots
Belgium: Renewed 70% & expanded 10%

17. Most important historical E-voting objectives
The original goals for E-voting:
 Fast results without counting errors;
 Modern and high tech image;
 Easier to find poll workers;
 Elimination of spoiled votes and arbitrary ballot interpretation.
 Technocratic implementation strategy

18. Implementation method
Legal framework
Certification
framework
System
design &
testing
Roll out
Stakeholder engagement and effective communication

19. Quo vadis?
Does E-voting in Europe have a future? YES
Intrinsic weaknesses of traditional voting have not disappeared:
 Many spoiled ballots
 Time consuming counting
 Many counting errors
 Considerable operational efforts
 No accessibility for voters with special needs

20. Quo vadis?
Does E-voting in Europe have a future? YES
Initial signs of proof:
• Belgium
• The Netherlands

21. In conclusion
Stakeholder engagement and effective communication are crucial to
successful E-voting implementations
After all:
Democratic elected governments are of the people, by the people and for
the people