A Definition

In traditional paper-voting one can distinguish between voting in polling stations (in the presence of an election committee) or absentee voting using mail ballots. Table 1 summarises the different steps in the voting process for these forms.

Attachment-Table 1: Traditional voting procedures

The same fundamental distinction can also be made for voting systems using IT support. Various types of electronic (or mechanical) devices may be used to automate the voting process in the polling station; absentee voting can be effected by various means with the Internet being only one of them. Table 2 provides a summary:

Attachment-Table 2: IT-supported voting procedures

Given the above systematisation we understand e-voting as
absentee voting using the Internet.

It comprises of one identified and two anonymous steps:

1. application for electronic voting token (identified)

2. vote casting and

3. vote storage and counting (both permanently anonymous).

Related Files

• IT-supported voting procedures - ITsupportedvotingprocedures.xls

• Traditional voting procedures - Traditionalvotingprocedures.xls

Original publishing date: 4.7.2003 (was imported from the old evoting.at site)