Certainly in developing countries we read about systems being developed for transmission of ballots and votes via telephones, private computer networks, or the Internet. It seems Italy is still lagging in the e-stakes – in the face of legacy systems – when it comes to implementing modern ways for its citizens to vote when they are out of the country.
It is possible to make arrangements with the local consulate to prove your residence in a foreign country, then after authorization , choose to vote through the consulate by a postal ballot. But all this must be done via ‘snail mail’. It takes a significant amount of time and must be carried out well in advance of the actual election date. It certainly does not apply to people who might be out of the country on business, holiday or are studying abroad on election day. In any event my friend did not go through this lengthy bureaucratic process, choosing instead, like many others I suspect, to fly home for the day.
If this had been prior to 2001, he might have been able to take advantage of State help as until that year, the state offered citizens living abroad a free return train journey to their home town in Italy in order to vote. But the only portion of the journey that was free of charge was on Italian soil. This involved all sorts of complications and was not really seen as a viable financial incentive for people living far afield. So after much petitioning and debate, the postal ballot for registration at a local consulate was introduced.
In any event on February 24, Italian citizens will be travelling back to their places of residence, wherever that may be in order to cast their vote for the next government. In the modern age of mobility, high speed transport and better connections, this is an improvement on the past, but wouldn’t an e-voting system, where everything – from registration to authentication and balloting – is conducted securely on-line, be much more convenient and efficient for everyone? It certainly gets my vote!
