How to hold an electoral process in the year 2020

The Covid-19 pandemic is having a significant impact on democratic processes that has resulted in more than 50 elections postponed globally between February and May 2020, according to data collected by the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA).

In order to reduce uncertainty, electoral authorities around the world are looking for options to control risks in post-pandemic scenarios that, beyond protective and distancing measures, include technological solutions that facilitate and economize the essential processes, both on the day of voting and in the pre- and post-electoral phases.

"This digital transformation will introduce vulnerabilities that require a strategic approach to security to shield the integrity of elections, on the one hand, and a communication strategy that facilitates the adoption of change by citizens and to combat online misinformation with more information and transparency," explained Pedro Rodriguez Veiga Director of Electoral Processes at Minsait. He added that the technological contribution "will become increasingly important" in the implementation of measures relating to information systems, distance and protective barriers to hinder the transmission of the virus in the processes involved in each of the phases of the elections.

Rodriguez Veiga pointed out that "from the point of view of information, we are talking about apps and websites with accessible and updated information for citizens about the electoral process, use of mass notification systems for essential and urgent information linked to the management of the census or postal and overseas voting, as well as monitoring systems to detect possible fake news that could compromise the reputation of the organization".

Ensuring distance and avoiding the risk of crowding, "especially on Election Day" also requires adapted procedures and analytical technology to control the capacity and staggered attendance of staff, online training for table representatives or video streaming systems for attending meetings and public sessions.

From Minsait, its director also defends the use of electronic administration solutions of the polling tables "that allow the verification of the voters who come to vote and the automatic generation of the certificate of constitution", as well as telematic systems and online applications for voting processes "in those countries whose legislation allows it". All this, "without forgetting all the barrier measures recommended by the health authorities for public places such as the use of protective screens for table members and officials in charge of receiving the votes, as well as masks and gloves for the general public.

New Generation Vote

Indra has more than 40 years of experience in the development of more than 400 national and international electoral projects with more than 4 billion voters involved. In this way, Minsait is in a position to face the new scenario with all the guarantees of transparency and security, both physically and from the point of view of information.

Onesait Democracy, the suite of Minsait solutions to ensure the quality and dissemination of election results and control of the process, has products developed with leading technology that promote the implementation of distance measures and processing of information, reducing the risk of virus infection and minimizing cyber attacks.

In the case of online voting, Minsait guarantees the total transparency of the process under the control of the electoral authority and security with Onesait Democracy Elections Online.

"Our system deploys a private blockchain, which allows the electoral authority to provide a node to any party interested in receiving the information in real time, such as observers, auditors or other political parties, and has specific security measures for elections and generic security measures on the Internet," explains Pablo Sarrias Bandrés, Director of Technology at Electoral Processes of Minsait.

Minsait's suite also includes new generation assisted electronic voting for polling place booths. The Onesait Democracy Elections Kiosk solution displays the lists directly on the screen, avoiding contact with the physical ballots and the crowds when collecting them. In addition, Minsait is analysing the integration of contactless devices, both for voter identification and voting.

"Currently it offers the options of saving the vote in memory and printing it for audit, or not saving it and printing it at the end of the vote in order to facilitate the reading of the paper ballots for a manual assisted count," says Sarrias Bandrés.

The cost savings in the issuing of ballots and the logistics of distribution take on special relevance in the post-COVID-19 scenario. Onesait Democracy Elections Online Ballot Delivery is a web system that allows, after identification, to issue voters with a ballot paper of the elections they are entitled to vote and to take it printed from home. Later they will introduce it in the ballot box, in case of face-to-face voting, or deliver it to the post office with the sticker and census card, in case of voting by mail.

Rodriguez Veiga recalls that "in countries such as Spain, the Electoral Law requires that for each registered voter a ballot paper is issued from each political party that presents itself in its constituency, even if only one can be voted for. In the case of the vote abroad the cost is more pronounced. The expenses of sending the documentation are added up", and he highlights "the convenience for the voter that changes of address and absence due to travel do not prevent her from exercising her right to vote or the reduction of the work of managing the ballots in the consulates".

Fake News

Finally, it is also necessary to take into account the increase in social conversation on digital networks that will be caused by the electoral call in a phase of deconfinement of the COVID-19 regarding doubts about the risk of contagion in polling stations, calls and rallies, or the security measures to facilitate remote access to registration and participation procedures.

In order to put an end to disinformation and promote transparency, a specific solution is essential to monitor social conversation and Fake News, which generates real-time notifications from news and mentions in social networks related to the election, as well as the detection of possible false information that could compromise the reputation and prestige of the organization.

Onesait Democracy Social Listening & Disinformation classifies this social conversation by electoral themes (ballots, juries, fraud, denunciations, cyber attacks), evaluates the feeling of the predominant expressions in the electoral contents and detects and verifies news and mentions with high risk of virality and disinformation, recommending its denial or clarification.

As a final note, Rodriguez Veiga emphasizes that Minsait is a sure value for democracy in these times. It is so since it provides coverage with its solutions and services to all the needs of the electoral cycle, from the registration of citizens to the analysis of results after the elections, including the entire service of capture and dissemination of results during Election Day.