On October 23rd 2011, around 22'000 voters will be authorized to cast their votes electronically in occasion of the elections to the National Council. These are the first trials ever with e-voting in elections at federal level in Switzerland. Four cantons are going to conduct trials with this new channel. Only Swiss voters living abroad will be authorized to participate. The Swiss Confederation pursues the long term goal of the introduction of e-voting as a third, complementary voting method - in addition to voting in person at the polling station and postal voting.
The Swiss people trust the authorities that polls are conducted legally. This trust made it possible to introduce postal voting in 1994. Since then Swiss voters automatically receive postal vote documents and may cast their vote by post without requiring any special reason to do so. Nowadays, this more convenient way to cast votes remotely is established: more than 90% of the votes are cast by post. The new channel was able to stop the sinking participation rate, more so it had a slightly positive effect on voter participation. The postal vote has been the starting point for the development and the introduction of electronic voting.
E-voting is a further development of opportunities for participation. In Switzerland, it is the third voting channel, an instrument for the society of the 21st Century, where new technologies, but also the mobility of people are becoming increasingly important. Since 2000, e-voting has been started in three pilot cantons (Geneva, Neuchatel, and Zurich). The Confederation contributed with funds for the development of the three systems, one per pilot canton, and exercised a coordination role. The three systems take into account the differences between the political systems of the cantons.
After an initial testing phase, the Federal Council and Parliament have decided of 2006/07 a gradual and controlled expansion of e-voting. In this testing-phase, the Swiss voters abroad have been identified as the group with the greatest benefits. E-voting meets the needs of the approximately 130'000 registered Swiss voters abroad very well, since they often face problems with the postal services. They also form a relatively small group, which suits well for a testing phase. For these reasons, Swiss abroad are treated with priority.
Since 2010, further cantons started with e-voting trials. The expansion to include 13 cantons has been possible thanks to the idea of the “system hosting”. Cantons wanting to introduce e-voting can use the existing systems developed by one of the pilot canton. This is a convenient and economically attractive way for them to gain experiences with the new voting channel: the new cantons can benefit from the existing expertise made by the pilot cantons.
Since 2004, almost twenty trials have been successfully conducted at federal level and many more on cantonal and communal level. In the context of the most recent trial in February 2011, approximately 177'500 voters were authorised to participate. Some 25'600 voters cast their votes electronically, which corresponds a participation of 14.4 %.
On October 23 rd 2011, the first ever trials with e-voting in elections at federal level1 will be performed. Four cantons (Basel, Aargau, St.Gallen, and Grisons) will participate at these trials. Around 22'000 Swiss voters living abroad will be authorized to cast their votes electronically. Two systems are being used for the elections: the systems of Geneva and Zurich.
The legal principles of e-voting in Switzerland are found in the Federal Constitution, the Federal Act on Political Rights, and the Federal Ordinance on Political Rights.
Article 34 of the Federal Constitution guarantees the political rights. This guarantee protects the freedom of the citizen to form an opinion and to give genuine expression to his or her will.
The Federal Council may in consultation with interested cantons and communes permit electronic voting pilot schemes that are limited in their geographical scope, in the dates on which they are held, and in the subject matter to which they relate. It may make authorisation subject to requirements or conditions or, taking account of the overall circumstances, exclude electronic voting at any time, whether in terms of its geographical scope, the subject matter to which it relates, or the date on which it is held.
The verification of eligibility to vote, voting secrecy and the counting of all the votes cast must be guaranteed and abuses prevented.
In the Federal Ordinance on Political Rights, 19 articles are dedicated to e-voting. The most important provisions are the following:
• Art. 27a: Federal Council authorisation is required for the conduct of e-voting trials at federal level.
• Art. 27c para. 2: Limitation to 10% of the entire Swiss electorate and to 20% of the cantonal electorate (not including Swiss voters living abroad)
• Art. 27d (Requirements):
-Only persons who are eligible to vote may cast a vote (verification of eligibility);
-Each person who is eligible to vote has only one vote and may vote only once (uniqueness of the vote);
-Third parties must not be able, systematically and effectively, to intercept, alter or divert votes cast electronically (reliable expression of the voter’s genuine intention);
-Third parties must be unable to find out how a person has voted (voting secrecy);
-All votes must be counted to determine the result (reliability of the count);
-It must be possible to prevent systematic abuse (compliance with voting
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