Breaking news about i-Voting in Estonia!
We at SK applaud the Parliament of Estonia’s recent legislative enhancements to the country’s i-Voting system, which will allow voting on smart devices and using of Smart-ID for personal identification.
In 2005, Estonia became the first nation in history to offer internet voting in a nationwide election. i-Voting has been made possible only thanks to the fact that the vast majority of people in Estonia have access to secure digital authentication and signatures.
By 2023, 51% voters have preferred interenet voting in local, parliamental and European parliament elections. A secure QR code based mobile application is used to ensure that each vote is correctly received by the National Electoral Committee server.
Smart-ID, the most popular identity verification tool in Estonia, has been instrumental in accessing both governmental and private e-services. Its integration into i-Voting marks a significant step towards broader adoption of secure authentication methods, ensuring that our digital democracy remains accessible and trustworthy.
Our COO, Liisa Lukin, commented on the news and said:
💬 “I’m delighted that Estonia’s most used identity tool will finally be allowed in i-Voting, as it is in other e-services. All identity tools used in Estonia are evaluated at the highest level, with digital signatures considered as valid as handwritten ones. The previous limitation for i-Voting has not been rightful. As the planned changes also make voting possible via smart devices, such as smartphones and tablets, it’s imperative to support Smart-ID alongside Mobile-ID, covering the majority of Estonian citizens.”
Read more about the changes here