Swiss town holds first Internet vote

Keystone

Residents in a small town near Geneva have voted via the Internet for the first time in Switzerland.

The experiment was part of an ongoing drive by the government to introduce electronic voting, or e-voting, across the country.

The authorites said that 44 per cent – 323 voters – cast their ballot through the Internet, and 349 (50 per cent) by post. Only 48 (six per cent) actually went to the polling station.

“It’s a referendum on voting via the Internet,” said Robert Hensler, the Geneva offical who oversees voting.

More than 60 per cent of voters in Anières came out in favour of giving the go-ahead to funding the renovation of a building in the town.

Under Switzerland’s direct democracy system, voters are allowed to cast their ballots on national questions and local issues, such as funding.

The e-vote was a first for Switzerland, and officials believe it may also have been a world first.

The landmark vote in Anières got underway on Tuesday and polls closed on Sunday. More than 1,000 residents were registered to vote.

Although the authorities hope e-voting will encourage more Swiss people to take part in the democratic process, it is not being seen a replacement of the traditional polling booth system for the time being.

The main aim of e-voting is to provide the electorate, especially Swiss nationals living abroad, with an additional way of registering their vote.

Security concerns

While Anières residents were generally enthusiastic about being “guinea pigs” for the new voting system, some raised concerns over online security.

To combat online fraud and to ensure confidentiality, the authorities introduced new security methods. Each voter had to input a 16-digit password in order to access the online system.

Once they had logged on, they had to then enter their birthplace, their date of birth and enter another number – also sent to them by post – before they could vote.

The cantons of Zurich and Neuchâtel have also been mandated by the government to trial e-voting.

But Geneva is the furthest ahead when it comes to implementing the new system, having already completed two tests prior to last week’s vote.

swissinfo with agencies

Key facts

Anières, near Geneva, was the first town in Switzerland to try voting via the Internet.
44 per cent – 323 voters – used the Internet, 349 voted by post and only 48 went to the polling station.
Polling began on Tuesday and ended on Sunday.