Test with internet voting for voters abroad

At the end of next year, a test will be held with voting via the internet for voters abroad. This happens during a simulated election that lasts several days. The Electoral Council announced this on Monday.

Voting via the internet should make the voting process easier for voters abroad. They currently still vote by letter or proxy, depending on the type of election.

Minister Ronald Plasterk of the Interior and Kingdom Relations wants to use the test to see whether voting is possible via existing internet services and whether voting secrecy is guaranteed. His ministry is still looking for internet companies that want to make their service available for this.

Minister Plasterk has appointed an expert group for this purpose. The expert group will develop specifications for developing equipment for electronic voting and counting at the polling station. The group will also investigate whether there is broad support for those specifications.

The software and equipment for electronic voting and counting must meet high reliability requirements. This was recommended by the Van Beek committee, which has investigated the feasibility of electronic voting. The group of experts will now draw up the specifications for this. This should show whether the market can supply the systems that meet the specifications and, if so, what the costs will be.

In last year's European Parliament elections, for example, nearly 24.000 people were allowed to vote from abroad. In the end, nearly 17.000 of them cast a valid vote.

Source: NU.nl