Online voting: a legal perspective

jos.dumortier@law.kuleuven.ac.be

www.law.kuleuven.ac.be/icri

CyberVote

• Http://www.eucybervote.org

• Part of the IST 1999 programme under the 5th Framework

• 1/9/2000 – 31/3/2003• Partners: EADS (FR) – BT (UK) – NOKIA (FI) – K.U. Leuven

(BE) – Technical University of Eindhoven (NL) – Freie Hansestadt Bremen (DE) – Mairie d’Issey-les-Moulineaux (FR) – Kista Stadsdelsnämnd (SE)

Objectives of Cybervote

• Demonstrating a secure cyber-voting prototype using mobile and fixed Internet technologies

• Defining and implementing a prototype embedding an innovative voting protocol to ensure integrity, privacy and authentication of the voters.

• The prototype was demonstrated and evaluated on 3 trial applications (Bremen – Kista – Issey-les-Moulineaux)

Desirability of Internet voting

• Transparency

• Participation

• Capturing people’s interest

• Alternative for people residing abroad and ill or disabled persons

• Tabulation time and accuracy

• Cost-effective equipment

• Reduced costs of elections

• Faster than hand-counting

• Not subject to human error

Voting systems

• Paper based elections• Automated elections (using any kind of voting machines)

– Electronic voting (using the computer)

• Off-line (stand-alone computer)

• Online (connected in a closed or open network)

– Internet voting (Internet functions as network)

» Polling place Internet voting

» Remote Internet voting

Basic principles

1. Equal, non-discriminatory access

2. Democratic electionsa. Freedom to vote, without undue influence or coercion

– secrecy of the vote

b. One person, one vote

c. Integrity, reliability and security of the ballot box

d. Verifiability and audit ability of the voting process

e. Voter’s confidence in the voting system

1. Non-discrimination and equality

• Equal situations should be treated equally and unequal situations unequally

• Exceptions allowed if distinction is objective and reasonable

• Equal accessibility to the voting process– Poll sites– Remote online voting– Co-existence

2. a. Freedom to vote / Secrecy of the vote

• Anonymity and secrecy should be observed during the whole election process

• Can ideal material circumstances be obtained when voting from home or workplace or from a mobile phone?

• Abusive practices:– Buying and selling of votes– Family voting

2.b. One person, one vote

• Authentication– Only legitimate voters can vote– Each voter can vote only once

• Security and reliability– Every cast vote may to be counted only once– A cast vote may not be able to be altered in the

course of the voting process

2.c. Reliability and security

• Reliability is a matter of technical architecture– Gain people’s trust

– Simple to use

• Security– Voter authentication

– Vote integrity

– Vote privacy

– Vote reliability

– Non-duplication

– Defence against denial of service attacks

– Defence against malicious code attacks

2.d. Verifiability and audit ability

• Ability to control polling and tabulation

• Allow for a recount when necessary

• Audit trail enhances integrity and trustworthiness

2.e. Voter’s confidence• Open source?

Discussion