Estonia’s ruling Reform Party is preparing an amendment to allow people to vote by mobile telephone.
According to The Baltic Times, the party presented its “m-voting” proposals on the 27th of September in order to prepare a bill along with its other coalition partners. If the partners clear the initiative, the legislation will be sent to parliament for rectification.
Excerpt from the Baltic Times:
The idea of introducing m-voting was put forward in August by the Reformist deputy speaker of parliament, Kristiina Ojuland, who believes a viable scheme could be in place in time for the 2009 local elections.
In Ojuland’s opinion, a mobile phone ID application would enable voters to identify themselves and give a digital signature.
It appears that Ojuland’s remarks are based on changes since April, in which mobile ID SIM cards can now incorporate a person’s mobile identify besides the normal SIM card functions.
For m-voting to be realized though, substantial changes in election laws need to be made, noted Vaino Linde, the head of the parliamentary Constitutional Committee. She says, “M-voting is certainly a future option, but whether the process can be completed in a couple of years is a different matter.”
I assume that every citizen can only have one mobile SIM card that is registered to “cast” a vote. In such a context, what potential problems do you foresee with m-voting?
