Electronic voting: A platform for electoral change?

From smart phones to advanced military technology, the computer era is well and truly upon us, yet when it comes to voting, the clock seems to turn back time. Brazil, India and France (to name a few) have been successful applicants in the quest for electronic voting. However, South Africa has not yet jumped on the e-voting bandwagon.

Sticking to traditional methods of paper voting, some would argue it to be less reliable in ensuring a fair and just election. The disadvantages of paper voting are as follows:

High costs of physical Ballot paper: Based on the 2004 elections, the total cost for paper voting was R790 million i.e. R50.59 per vote.

Secrecy of the ballot form being compromised: A report by the Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa showed that election officials in the 2009 elections lacked a proper understanding of the counting procedure which subsequently lead to delays in the voting process. In addition, one ballot box was used for both the Provincial and National Assembly legislatures, and there was a failure to follow correct sealing procedures.

Challenges for the disadvantaged: Although paper voting for the majority is relatively feasible, it proves highly unreliable for South Africa’s disadvantaged population. Given the level of illiteracy in the country, paper voting is not only a challenge but also shows a decrease in accountability. With the implementation of electronic voting, it would not only allow for better accountability, but will also provide an equal opportunity for the underprivileged. A successful example is seen in Brazil, where illiterate voters are provided with visuals and colour coding to assist them through the voting process.

People with disabilities: The blind are especially subject to the challenges of paper voting as they require an official to assist them and consequently, the integrity of their vote could be compromised.

Is electronic voting in SA’s near future? Despite living in a computer-dominated era, the question can then be raised as to whether South Africa will adopt an electronic voting system in the future. According to Courtney Sampson, Western Cape provincial electoral officer for the Independent Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC), South Africa is not ready for such a change.

“I think it is possible but I don’t know whether as South Africans, we would be ready. We live in an environment with a digital divide that is quite stark. Some people are highly digitalised in terms of their homes and other people don’t even know what a computer looks like. I don’t think that this should necessarily be a determining factor but I think it should be opted to people.”

Last year, the IEC attended a two-day international seminar on electronic voting and considered the pros and cons of the system and its cross-national experiences. Chairperson of the IEC, Pansy Tlakula, addressed the need to consider issues such as secrecy of the vote, transparency and the credibility of such a voting system.

“In particular we need to take into account the cross-national experiences of e-voting shared over the last two days with us and our delegates by Brazil, India, Ireland and the Philippines.”

According to Sampson, an electronic voting system may not be able to bridge the gap between one of the biggest challenges of the election process - voter behaviour. He is however open to electronic voting and believes South Africa will inevitably adopt an e-voting system in combination with traditional methods.

“I think it is inevitable for us to adopt electronic voting based on how quickly things have moved over the past couple of years in terms of electronics. It is also possible to have a combination of paper voting and electronic counting or electronic voting where you put your ballot paper on top of a machine and that machine calculates it”.

However, he believes that such a system would require consent and commitment between the political parties.

“What is important about it is we need to have political parties agreeing and committing to it. They need to feel comfortable with the process and we need to be able to track, go back and see what happened”.

The ongoing debate about whether to migrate to an electronic voting and counting system is a sign of our growing maturity as a country. To many, like this writer, the decision is inevitable - and more of a question of when and what form it takes. As we undertake this exercise, we have the benefit of studying systems applied by other countries, learning from best practices and implementing what will work.

Ansha Krishnan, International Intern