A proposed digital voting model faces three difficult tests, and Ukraine’s parliamentary leadership says none can be ignored.
Introducing electronic voting in elections in Ukraine in the near future remains unlikely. Verkhovna Rada Chairman Ruslan Stefanchuk believes that it is currently difficult to ensure the democratic nature, security, and public trust required for this type of election at the same time.
As reported by the online media outlet Ukrinform.
According to him, international experience also points to significant risks. In addition, Ukraine’s Constitution provides for direct voting in elections, and Stefanchuk questioned whether this requirement could be fully met through online voting.
The Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada also warned separately about possible interference in the results of electronic voting. He said he would not want to see a repeat of situations that arose during voting for Eurovision contestants or during elections for the President of Ukraine and the Verkhovna Rada.
What requirements must electronic elections meet?
In Stefanchuk’s view, an electronic voting system must meet several key requirements:
• comply with democratic standards;
• guarantee security and protection against outside interference;
• ensure voters’ confidence in the results;
• meet the constitutional requirement for direct voting.
For now, according to the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada, meeting all these conditions simultaneously is difficult, so it is too early to talk about the rapid introduction of electronic elections in Ukraine.
