Transparency and e-Voting: Democratic vs. Commercial Interests

Electronic voting systems are being introduced, and have been introduced, in many countries for a variety of reasons. The introduction of computers into the electoral process can offer several advantages. Among other things it can speed up the process of calculating results, can help voters avoid accidentally spoiling their vote, and can allow voters with special needs to vote in private. Often, however, little consideration is given to the potential negative effects of electronic voting. We examine some of these negative effects in terms of the three streams of this conference: technology, law, and politics, with particular emphasis on the situation in the Republic of Ireland. The over-arching theme of this paper is that the introduction of technology into the democratic process can reduce transparency, and risks private commercial interests being given priority over public democratic interests.