Electronic Voting & Counting Technologies - IFES

INTERNATIONAL PILOT PROJECTELECTORAL STANDARDSThe pilot project will offer insight into the ease of setting up and using newtechnology in a variety of conditions, including polling in remote locations.methods, from statistical data collectedabout the use of the electronic voting orcounting technology to qualitative analysisof the process from the perspectives ofkey stakeholders. In terms of statisticalmeasures used to analyze the effectsof using electronic voting or countingtechnologies, the following would be useful:• Turnout — A simple comparison ofturnout for pilot project polling stationsagainst the previous electoral turnoutin the polling stations is not a goodmeasure of the effect of using electronicvoting or counting technologies. Thecomparison would need to factor inthe type of election, as some electionshave more turnout than others, andthe general trends in turnout for similarpolling stations in non-pilot areas.Given such considerations, the turnoutexperienced at pilot project pollinglocations can provide some indicationof the possible effect on turnout causedby the use of electronic voting orcounting technology.• Speed of Voting — In order to fullyunderstand the consequences ofusing electronic voting and countingtechnologies it is important to collectdata about how quickly votersare able to cast their votes usingthese technologies. This will haveconsequences for the logistics andcosts of using electronic technologieson a wider scale. If using technologies isfaster or slower than the existing systemof balloting then this may require orallow changes in the number of votersallocated to a polling station. This datashould be collected by polling staffworking in pilot project locations.70Electronic Voting & Counting Technologies: A Guide to Conducting Feasibility Studies