Media quoted recent statements by officials on the need to apply electronic electoral system in registration and voting as the best solution in the absence of democracy and a part of modernity that we aspire to.
Despite the fact that electronic voting is applied and relatively available in a number of countries worldwide, the CEC believes that technology is a means rather than an end in itself and that applying this system in Palestine will not be effective for the following reasons:
First: the election procedures applied in previous Presidential, Legislative and local elections in Palestine have proven success and credibility as evidenced by the courts rejection of submitted electoral appeals and most importantly, the results gained citizens and parties confidence and acceptance.
Moreover, the concept of democratic elections and resorting to the polls is relatively recent in our country. The acceptance of results depends entirely on the transparency and credibility of the electoral process. This means it will be difficult for citizens, candidates and electoral parties to place their trust in intangible procedures. The acceptance of results might be surrounded with skepticism and endangered especially when a turn of powers occurs as the case of the 2006 elections.
Second: Palestine is a small country in terms of geography and demography where the completion of voting, counting and announcement of results happens in less than 24 hours. Thus, there is no real need for electronic voting and counting which may entail jeopardizing credibility for the sake of accelerating counting and announcement of results.
Third: electronic voting will not prevent voter queuing since voting must take place inside fixed and equipped polling stations pre-known to voters and observers and not from homes as some might think.
Fourth: It is difficult to accept the high cost of purchasing and operating of electronic voting machines and cards and their storage for years to come after elections are completed as the public treasury of the state can barely fulfill the basic running costs of the CEC every year.
Fifth: electronic registration and voting system requires the issuance of smart cards which the CEC is not the only body authorized to issue. Moreover, the issuance of these cards need to be preceded by a change in the entire data system and providing needed infrastructure to ensure that all segments of society are able to use the electronic voting system. The CEC, however, is already using technology in the voter data management process. It has an updated electronic voter’s registry and provides through its website the ability for voters to check their registration data.
In summary, the CEC believes that the adoption of electronic voting in Palestine would be useless and needs justifications of the high cost of this process and the consequent need for changing the current legal and social conditions, and most importantly willingness of citizens to accept results in the future.