Author Archives: Ardita Driza Maurer

An experts’ report and an upcoming consultation on turning e-voting into an ordinary voting channel

Posted on June 28, 2018 by Ardita Driza Maurer

The Swiss federal Government approved yesterday the future steps in e-voting development on the basis of a report of a group of experts (see press conference). The modification of the federal act on political rights to introduce e-voting as a … Continue reading →

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Security in Elections

Posted on June 22, 2018 by Ardita Driza Maurer

All countries in the Council of Europe region use some kind of digital technology in elections. They may use digital solutions for purposes such as voter registration, the administration of voters’ list, vote tallying, the transmission of results, voting in … Continue reading →

Posted in Council of Europe Venice Commission, e-election, e-voting, European Conference of Electoral Management Bodies, legislation, standardization | Leave a comment

Updated European Standards for E-voting – The Council of Europe Recommendation Rec(2017)5 on Standards for E-voting

Posted on December 11, 2017 by Ardita Driza Maurer

(Paper abstract) The Council of Europe is the only international organization to have issued recommendations on the regulation of the use of e-voting. The 2004 Recommendation to member States, Rec(2004)11 and the two 2010 Guidelines on certification and on transparency … Continue reading →

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European Standards for Innovative Electoral Services

Posted on April 6, 2017 by Ardita Driza Maurer

What are considered “innovative services in electoral processes”? How to regulate them? What are the european standards applicable? These issues and relative experiences were discussed at the 7th annual meeting of electoral management bodies from Europe, Asia and the Americas, … Continue reading →

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New Technologies: Inescapable but Challenging

Posted on September 6, 2016 by Ardita Driza Maurer

Keynote at the 1st Scientific Electoral Experts Debates New technologies challenge the way the Parliament, the Government, the judge and the voter think of and deal with elections. The following paper presents an overview of the main preoccupations of the … Continue reading →

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Update of the Council of Europe Recommendation on legal, operational and technical standards for e-voting – A Legal Perspective

Posted on February 28, 2016 by Ardita Driza Maurer

The Council of Europe 2004 Recommendation on e-voting (Rec(2004)11) is a soft law instrument containing legal, operational and technical standards for e-voting. An ad-hoc Committee of Experts on E-voting (CAHVE) started work on its update in 2015. This paper focuses … Continue reading →

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OSCE/ODIHR to assess the Swiss legal framework for Internet voting

Posted on August 11, 2015 by Ardita Driza Maurer

On 13 July OSCE/ODIHR published a Needs Assessement Mission report (NAM) on the upcoming Swiss federal elections of 18 October 2015 (National Council Elections). The report recommends the deployment of an Election Expert Team to specifically assess the legal framework … Continue reading →

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E-Voting Case Law: A Comparative Analysis

Posted on July 27, 2015 by Ardita Driza Maurer

Pleased to inform that “E-Voting Case Law: A Comparative Analysis” is due to appear in September 2015. More information can be found on the publishing house’s website. Special discounts may apply. Let me know if you’re interested in purchasing the … Continue reading →

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New Book: E-Voting Case Law

Posted on January 29, 2015 by Ardita Driza Maurer

I dedicated quite some time last year to coordinating and writing a book on e-voting. Co-edited by Jordi Barrat and myself, “E-Voting Case Law: A Comparative Analysis” is a collective book on e-voting legislation and case law in thirteen countries … Continue reading →

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EVOTE2014

Posted on November 2, 2014 by Ardita Driza Maurer

The 6th International Conference on Electronic Voting EVOTE2014 was held on 28–31 October 2014 in Lochau/Bregenz, Austria. The conference – which celebrates its tenth anniversary – is one of the leading international events for e-voting. It was attended by experts … Continue reading →

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Switzerland’s new legislation on internet voting

Posted on February 12, 2014 by Ardita Driza Maurer

Established practices, new rules and future perspectives Last Sunday, 9 February 2014, is going to stay in Swiss voting history as the day when voters decided to put an end to the free movement of persons with the European Union … Continue reading →

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Voting and technology in 2013, a retrospective

Posted on January 18, 2014 by Ardita Driza Maurer

Time line of major developments in Switzerland and beyond For a start, I wish you, dear reader, a happy and successful year! This first 2014 post will look back into 2013 which was exceptionally rich in developments related to political … Continue reading →

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How to observe e-enabled elections?

Posted on November 22, 2013 by Ardita Driza Maurer

OSCE/ODIHR Handbook for the Observation of New Voting Technologies How to observe an election process in which information and communication technologies (ICT) are used? This is the question at the heart of the recently published OSCE/ODIHR “Handbook for the Observation … Continue reading →

Posted in e-election, e-voting, legislation, standardization, transparency, verifiability | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Casting votes on the Internet

Posted on October 1, 2013 by Ardita Driza Maurer

Switzerland & the Future of Elections The spring 2013 issue of the Harvard International Review features an article on the Swiss internet voting experience, by Alexander H. Trechsel and Urs Gasser. Published before the latest developments of last Summer (Report … Continue reading →

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Client-side viruses and internet voting

Posted on September 23, 2013 by Ardita Driza Maurer

A shocking truth? Twelve cantons implemented internet voting at yesterday’s federal vote. According to the federal Chancellery 22 586 voters did actually vote via internet out of the 158 500 authorized ones. Two cantons, Geneva and Neuchâtel, authorized both (a fraction of) … Continue reading →

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“Internet voting and federalism: the Swiss case” in RGDPC

Posted on September 12, 2013 by Ardita Driza Maurer

New paper The Spanish General Review of Compared Public Law (Revista general de derecho publico comparado or RGDPC) dedicates a special issue to the juridical dimension of e-voting, “El voto electrónico y sus dimensiones jurídicas: entre la ingenua complacencia y … Continue reading →

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Has internet voting increased participation?

Posted on June 6, 2013 by Ardita Driza Maurer

Evaluating the impact of internet voting The regular use of internet voting in the past ten years in canton Geneva (Switzerland) offers an interesting basis to evaluate the impact of this voting channel on electoral participation. This is also the … Continue reading →

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Quid novi Juris?

Posted on May 18, 2013 by Ardita Driza Maurer

Swiss Internet Voting Legislation and Jurisprudence – actual state One of the most significant novelties announced to take place in 2013 is already there: a proposed modification of section 6a of the federal ordinance on political rights regulating internet voting … Continue reading →

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Talking about transparency?

Posted on May 11, 2013 by Ardita Driza Maurer

Publication of Audit Reports of Geneva Internet Voting System Switzerland. For the first time audit reports of an internet voting system are made entirely available online. The Geneva internet voting system was submitted to three tests in 2012: intrusion test, … Continue reading →

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Cantonal elections

Posted on April 14, 2013 by Ardita Driza Maurer

Counting of (internet) voting results postponed Canton Neuchâtel had quite a special election today. For the first time in Switzerland a general election of a cantonal parliament was held with internet voting as a third voting channel. Internet voting is … Continue reading →

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