The upcoming change in the proposed law on electronic voting will allow citizens to cast their votes through special applications on mobile devices, in addition to computers. However, this change will not take effect until October, which means it cannot be used in the upcoming elections for the European Parliament in June.
Estonia, known for its digital innovation and e-governance, was the first country in Europe to introduce online voting in 2005. This new law reflects a shift towards smart devices and aims to make e-Estonia accessible on these platforms. Over half of all votes in the March 2023 parliamentary elections were cast digitally, showcasing Estonia’s commitment to digitization and its success with online voting.
Despite this success, online voting remains controversial due to concerns about reliability. Estonia has embraced digitization and offers citizens the convenience of conducting almost all transactions online in their daily lives. This sets it apart as a pioneer in Europe when it comes to digital governance and innovation.