Problemi delle democrazie contemporanee: il voto elettronico

The use of information and communication technologies (ICT) in elections has increased considerably in recent years. Today, almost all electoral processes take advantage of new technologies, at least in voter registration and tabulation of results, and many countries use these new technologies in voting and counting as well. Taking into account that an election can be defined as democratic if it has specific features, the aim of this research was to analyze the compatibility of electronic voting with international electoral standards and with principles of the Italian Constitution. In the first chapter I attempt to give a definition of electronic voting and to list different types of electronic tools. Even if new technologies can be used in every stage of the electoral process, from voter registration to tabulation of results, we can assume that electronic voting involves the use of electronic means in at least the casting of the vote or the counting. In the second chapter I describe the most relevant international documents and instruments for elections and I list and consider the international election standards, also from the point of view of the compatibility of electronic voting with those standards. The standards are: periodic elections, genuine elections, free elections, fair elections, universal suffrage, equal suffrage, secret vote and honest counting and reporting of results. In the third chapter I examine article 48 of the Italian Constitution which provides universal suffrage and personal, equal, free and secret voting. In the fourth chapter I describe a few experiences of electronic voting abroad: countries in which electronic voting has been adopted inside polling station I examine cases in Belgium, Russia and Venezuela, whereas for remote electronic voting I study cases in Switzerland, France and Estonia. In the last chapter I analyze how electronic voting has been adopted in Italy where it is restricted to a small number of tests inside polling stations and experimentation of electronic tallying of results. Furthermore, I describe a few cases of voting on line not regarding elections or referendums, but polling for University bodies, company bodies or inside political parties. After this research it is possible to draw the following conclusions: basically, electronic voting seems to comply with the Italian Constitution. However, since the election process is a very sensitive subject, using new technologies in elections must be approached considering the public trust and confidence, with the consequence that it is necessary to distinguish between electronic voting inside polling stations and electronic voting on line. Without doubt, electronic voting inside polling stations complies with the Italian Constitution and it would be possible to adopt it; instead, for electronic voting on line it seems that a gradual approach would be more adequate for replacing the postal voting

A Cloud-based Intrusion Detection and Prevention System for Mobile Voting in South Africa

Publishe ThesisInformation and Communication Technology (ICT) has given rise to new technologies and solutions that were not possible a few years ago. One of these new technologies is electronic voting, also known as e-voting, which is the use of computerised equipment to cast a vote. One of the subsets of e-voting is mobile voting (m-voting). M-voting is the use of mobile phones to cast a vote outside the restricted electoral boundaries. Mobile phones are pervasive; they offer connection anywhere, at any time. However, utilising a fast-growing medium such as the mobile phone to cast a vote, poses various new security threats and challenges. Mobile phones utilise equivalent software design used by personal computers which makes them vulnerable or exposed to parallel security challenges like viruses, Trojans and worms. In the past, security solutions for mobile phones encountered several restrictions in practice. Several methods were used; however, these methods were developed to allow lightweight intrusion detection software to operate directly on the mobile phone. Nevertheless, such security solutions are bound to fail securing a device from intrusions as they are constrained by the restricted memory, storage, computational resources, and battery power of mobile phones. This study compared and evaluated two intrusion detection systems (IDSs), namely Snort and Suricata, in order to propose a cloud-based intrusion detection and prevention system (CIDPS) for m-voting in South Africa. It employed simulation as the primary research strategy to evaluate the IDSs. A quantitative research method was used to collect and analyse data. The researcher established that as much as Snort has been the preferred intrusion detection and prevention system (IDPS) in the past, Suricata presented more effective and accurate results close to what the researcher anticipated. The results also revealed that, though Suricata was proven effective enough to protect m-voting while saving the computational resources of mobile phones, more work needs to be done to alleviate the false-negative alerts caused by the anomaly detection method. This study adopted Suricata as a suitable cloud-based analysis engine to protect a mobile voting application like XaP

Weaknesses in centralized and decentralized internet voting protocols

The present document analyzes the weaknesses of the protocols regarding internet voting systems, either centralized or decentralized one, as a technology used for many countries around the world that may significantly increase the numbers of electors, offers transparency, delivery of results and reduces the costs of the whole electoral process, allowing an auditable way either for the citizen and public entities. The use of Remote Electronic Voting Systems (REV), had been opening a new way for e-government services, giving the community other tools for electoral purposes, and at the same time had create a long list of securities challenges which have allowed the development of new I-voting systems, among communities that focus on the research of different ways to minimize the risks of this process

Post-Election Audits: Restoring Trust in Elections

With the intention of assisting legislators, election officials and the public to make sense of recent literature on post-election audits and convert it into realistic audit practices, the Brennan Center and the Samuelson Law, Technology and Public Policy Clinic at Boalt Hall School of Law (University of California Berkeley) convened a blue ribbon panel (the "Audit Panel") of statisticians, voting experts, computer scientists and several of the nation's leading election officials. Following a review of the literature and extensive consultation with the Audit Panel, the Brennan Center and the Samuelson Clinic make several practical recommendations for improving post-election audits, regardless of the audit method that a jurisdiction ultimately decides to adopt

Дистанционное электронное голосование: поиск законодательного оформления

The subject. Normative acts which are the legal basis for remote e-voting conducted as an experiment on a single voting day on September 8, 2019 in Russia. New electoral technologies, including positive and negative forecasts of the success and necessity of this vote, are also in the focus of research.The purpose of the study is to consider the state of the legal framework for conducting the remote electronic voting experiment in the Russian Federation and its further development. We are aimed also to find out what laws have become the basis for remote electronic voting, what is the degree of by-laws regulation.The methodology. The main research method is comparative legal method, which allows revealing the concept of the remote electronic voting experiment and its procedural and technological features, as well as such general scientific research methods as analysis, synthesis, induction and deduction.The main results of the study and their scope. The concept of the experiment, its procedural and technological features are revealed. Skeptics say about the potential danger of this system in the scope of data storage and transmission. One can object to this by referring to the widespread use of Internet banking for transactions, as well as to the demand for the Moscow portal of public services among millions of people. With a high degree of probability it can be concluded that the remote method of voting will be in demand mainly among voters who are regular users of the Internet.  Empowerment monitor the process of electronic voting will increase people's trust in this form of participation in the elections will have a fruitful impact on strengthening the institution of social control, which in the preparation for the experiment on remote electronic voting organized wide expert and public discussion, with participation of representatives of public and human rights organizations are not subjects of the electoral process. Skeptics say about the potential danger of this system in terms of data storage and transmission. Meanwhile, Internet resources are subject to similar threats. used by millions of people for transactions (Internet banking, Internet portal of public services). With a high degree of probability it can be concluded that the remote method of voting will be in demand mainly among voters who are regular users of the Internet.  The expansion of opportunities for monitoring the process of electronic voting will help to increase people's confidence in this form of participation in elections, will have a fruitful impact on the qualitative strengthening of the institution of public control. The necessary provision of success is  proper preparation for the experiment on remote electronic voting, including large-format expert and public discussion, in which representatives of public and human rights organizations that are not subjects of the electoral process are involved. The world experience of a similar procedure shows contradictory results, but in the future it is hardly possible to abandon the technologies that contribute to the democratization of the electoral process. The electronic voting procedure in Russia, regulated by federal laws and by-laws regulation after the elections of 8 September 2019, will be improved taking into account the experience gained.Conclusions. The experiment of remote electronic voting in Russia will contribute to the development of the electoral process. Suggestions of this study can contribute to the development of the electoral legislation of the Russian Federation.Рассматривается правое регулирование проводимого в качестве эксперимента в единый день голосования 8 сентября 2019 г. дистанционного электронного голосования. Раскрывается концепция эксперимента, его процедурные и технологические особенности. Отмечается, что мировой опыт проведения аналогичной процедуры показывает противоречивые результаты, но в перспективе вряд ли можно отказаться от технологий, способствующих демократизации избирательного процесса. Утверждается, что эксперимент по проведению в России дистанционного электронного голосования будет способствовать развитию избирательного процесса