The document discusses e-voting technology and outlines its pros and cons. It provides a history of e-voting development from the late 19th century to modern internet voting. Key aspects of e-voting systems like identification, ballot casting, and anonymity are examined. International standards and the status of e-voting adoption across Europe are also summarized. The presentation concludes by noting that e-voting will likely become more commonplace and that proper discussion, experience, education and expertise are important.

1. The European
Perspective on
Pros and Cons
in E-Voting
Systems
shutterstock/Montage: E&L
E-Voting Conference Robert Krimmer
Copenhagen, June 17th, 2010

2. What is it with Electronic Voting
that makes it so interesting
and of high dispute at the same time?
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3. Development
1. Face-to-Face Society
Rome, Athens, Vikings, italian/german city states
Swiss Landsgemeinde
2. Territorial Society
French Revolution, United States,
3. Global Society
Information, CommuniCation und Transaction
world-wide over the Internet
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4. History
Four Stages of Election Administration Development
1. Turn of 20th Century: Development of first election
automation machines – Werner von Siemens,
Thomas Edison
2. After Second Worldwar: First ideas of nationwide
instant electronic voting
3. 1970‘s: Development of Electronic Direct Recording
Machines, legally binding
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5. History (II)
4. New Millennium
- Debates get serious; Countries with full coverage of
electronic voting machines
- first multi-national recommendations/standards
available and discussed in practice
5. Recent
- Internet voting used in national elections (Estonia)
- NEDAP Voting machines banned
(Ireland, Netherlands, Germany)
- First experiences with observation of e-voting
- Methodologies for observation thereof emerging
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6. Definition
Electronic Voting is using electronic means
(information and communication technologies/ICT)
in at least the casting of the vote
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7. Forms of Elections
Place Controlled Uncontrolled
(Polling Station) (At Home)
Optical Scanners
Medium
Paper Polling Station Postal Voting
Electronics EVM Internet Voting
Kiosk Voting
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8. Status Quo
Map © Modern Democracy Magazine 2/2009
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9. How does E-Voting Work?
In General, E-Voting is based on the separation of
• Unique identification of the voter, and
• The casting of the vote, and keeping it secret
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10. How does E-Voting Work?
Who? What?
Voter Vote
(Identification) (Ballot Casting)
How?
June 10
X
IP-Addresses, Message Content
Sequence, Time
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11. How does E-Voting Work?
How to keep the voter anonymous?
• Electronic Voting Machines: having separate
machines/application for identification & vote casting
• Remote Electronic Voting: Cryptographic Algorithms to
establish Anonymity either
(1) before
(2) during
(3) or after vote casting
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12. International Standards on
E-Voting
• Council of Europe Recommendation on E-Voting
• OASIS Election Markup Language (EML)
• Gesellschaft für Informatik / Bundesamt für Sicherheit
in der Informationstechnik Protection Profile
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13. Recommendation of the
Council of Europe (I)
Development:
• Task to develop legal, operational and technical
standards for e-voting
• With consideration of the Member States different
electoral systems
• 30th September 2004: Adoption of the
Recommendation Rec(2004)11 by the Commitee of
Ministers of the Council of Europe
• http://www.coe.int/democracy
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14. Recommendation of the
Council of Europe (II)
Council of Europe 2004:
• Task to develop legal, operational and technical
standards for e-voting
• Legal standards:
Common legal standards complying with the
principles of universal, free, equal and secret suffrage
• Operational standards:
Covering all phases of the electoral process
• Technical requirements:
Towards accessibility, interoperability,
security of the vote and monitoring
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15. Protection Profile
• Technical Standard for Security Requirements
for E-Voting
• Developped by German Informatics Society
• It is a certified protection profile
• Follows Common Criteria Methodology
• Common Criteria is an internationally agreed and
accredited methodology for certification of IS
• http://www.bsi.de/cc/pplist/pplist.htm#PP0037
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16. Why E-Voting?
Voter Administration Politicians
Increasing voter Count quicker and Inclusion
mobility more reliable
Support for the voter in
casting the vote Improve voter register Innovation
Increase accessibility Reduce costs on the Change in the
for handicapped long run electorate
voter (+/-)
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17. Where?
Status Quo in Europe
AUSTRIA FRANCE
• Three non-binding remote • National discussion, mainly for
voting tests 2003, 2004, 2006 citizens living abroad
• Feasibility report on e-voting • Test election in 2003,
• Student Union Election 2009 Law first half 2006
ESTONIA • Use in 2009
• First binding Remote Internet GERMANY
voting in national election (2% • E-Voting Machines were in use
of voters voted online) (presentation Dr. Wiesner)
• Only one test beforehand • Over 40 remote electronic
• 106.000 voters in local voting tests (binding and
election Oct 2009 non-binding)
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18. Where?
Status Quo in Europe
IRELAND PORTUGAL
• Bought e-voting machines for • 2004 EU Election and 2005
whole country Parliamentary election non-
• 2004 had to postpone use binding tests (local & remote)
because of lack of trust in • Big evaluation effort
system SPAIN
NETHERLANDS • Several tests and evaluation
• Had nearly full coverage with thereof
local e-voting machines • MadridParticipa with
• Internet voting for citizens networked kiosk machines
abroad • E-Voting part of 2004 e-gov
• Challenge Paper voting law for basque autonomy
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19. Where?
Status Quo in Europe
SWITZERLAND BELGIUM
• Three pilots for remote • First E-Voting Machines in
electronic voting 1991
• Many non- and legally binding • Extended 1994 to 22%, 1999
tests 44%
• Basle introduces for voters • Strategy report
abroad
• Berne, St.Gallen discussing FINLAND
• Trial with Internet Voting
NORWAY Machines in Polling stations
• Pilot Scheme 2011 • Repeated on paper after court
ruling
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20. E-Voting Readiness Index Model
Information Society Context
National
Context Individual
eGovernment application Level
eGovernment application
Technologica
l
eVOTING
eVOTING
Diffusion
Legal
Political
Context
Context
The E-Voting Readiness Index Contextual Model, Ronald Schuster
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21. 10,00
12,00
14,00
16,00
18,00
20,00
Juni 10
Austria
Belgium
Bulgaria
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Political Context
Greece
Hungary
Ireland
Italy
Latvia
21
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malta
Netherlands
Poland
Portugal
Scored Political Context
Romania
Russia
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
United Kingdom
United States
Venezuela
Voting and Participation
Center for Electronic
Competence Center

22. 10,00
12,00
14,00
16,00
18,00
6,00
8,00
June 10
Austria
Belgium
Bulgaria
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
Legal Context
France
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Ireland
Italy
Latvia
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malta
Netherlands
Poland
Scored Legal Context
Portugal
E-Voting Conference, Copenhagen, Denmark
Romania
Russia
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
United Kingdom
United States
22
Venezuela

23. 10,00
12,00
14,00
16,00
4,00
6,00
8,00
June 10
Austria
Belgium
Bulgaria
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
InfoSoc Context
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Ireland
Italy
Latvia
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malta
Netherlands
Poland
Scored InfoSoc Context
Portugal
E-Voting Conference, Copenhagen, Denmark
Romania
Russia
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
United Kingdom
United States
Venezuela
23

24. 10,00
15,00
20,00
25,00
30,00
35,00
0,00
5,00
June 10
Austria
Belgium
Bulgaria
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
E-Voting Context
Greece
Hungary
Ireland
Italy
Latvia
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malta
Netherlands
Poland
Scored E-Vote Context
E-Voting Conference, Copenhagen, Denmark
Portugal
Romania
Russia
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
United Kingdom
United States
24
Venezuela

25. 0,00
10,00
20,00
30,00
40,00
50,00
60,00
70,00
80,00
Austria
Belgium
June 10
Bulgaria
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Ireland
Italy
Latvia
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malta
ERI - Scored Dimensions
Netherlands
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Russia
E-Voting Conference, Copenhagen, Denmark
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
United Kingdom
United States
Venezuela
25
Legal
InfSoc
E-Vote
Political

26. E-Voting Readiness 2008
Cockpit for Denmark
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27. Summary
• E-Voting technology is to support the people
• E-Voting needs proper discussion and experience
• Denmark has good starting conditions
• At one point in time e-voting will not be avoidable
• Proper education and qualification of
- polling station officers
- technical operators
- observers
- voters
experts needed, incl. knowledge transfer
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28. Contact
SEE YOU AT EVOTE2010, 21-24 July 2010
Robert Krimmer
Managing Director
E-Voting.CC
Competence Center for
Electronic Voting and Participation
Pyrkergasse 33/1/2
A-1190 Vienna
r.krimmer@e-voting.cc
www.e-voting.cc
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