Irish minister urges e-voting

Commission on Electronic Voting

Concerns about the cost and accuracy of electronic voting are high enough in Ireland that a Cabinet minister spoke out earlier this week to reassure citizens about its use in the upcoming local and European elections.

Groups around the country, such as the Irish Citizens for Trustworthy Voting, continue to raise questions about the Powervote/NEDAP system that will be used in the European and local elections on June 11. Many questions have also come up in the United States during the push to electronic voting following the problems with old voting systems in the 2000 presidential elections. Most recently, the Defense Department in February temporarily suspended its plan to offer Internet-based voting to service members stationed overseas.

Six independent, internationally accredited institutes have tested the election management system, which is already being used in Holland and Germany without problems, said Martin Cullen, Ireland's minister for the environment, heritage and local government.

Electronic voting reduces election costs in the long run, Cullen said in statement issued March 2 in response to Irish concerns. Implementing the Powervote/NEDAP system will cost