e-Voting and e-Democracy

 

The Swiss Federal Chancellery (Bundeskanzlei) recently ran three pilot projects in collaboration with the cantons of Geneva, Neuchatel and Zurich in order to evaluate the feasibility of e-voting in Switzerland. The Swiss legislature has adopted a legal framework that provides conditions under which e-voting can be offered to citizens during the actual trial period. By the end of this experimental phase - sometime in 2007 – government and parliament will have to decide whether or not e-voting should be introduced nation-wide.

On the US side, electronic voting procedures are discussed intensively in the context of the 2008 presidential election, especially after the 2000 and 2004 presidential elections with allegations of data irregularities and systematic flaws. At the state level, a lot of money is invested to upgrade online platforms and to serve citizens more efficiently, often described as e-government.

It’s a unique time to bring together decision-makers from the two countries for an exchange of information, ideas and best practices.

 

AGENDA

 

6:00 pm

Registration

 

6:15 pm

Welcome Remarks Urs Ziswiler, Ambassador of Switzerland to the United States.

Introduction of the Think Swiss Program Christoph von Arb, Consul General and Director of SHARE – the Consulate of Switzerland in Boston

 

6:30 pm

Panel Discussion on Best Practices in E- Voting in Switzerland and the United States

Panelists    

Paul DeGregorio, Former Chairman, U.S. Election Assistance

Linda Lamone, Maryland State Election Administrator

Andreas Ladner, Professor, Swiss Graduate School of Public Administration (IDHEAP) NCCR—Direct Democracy

Victor-Emmanuel De Sa, Internet Voting Security Expert

Moderated by Ted Selker, Co-Director Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project

 

7:30 pm

Cocktail Reception hosted by the Ambassador of Switzerland to the United States, Urs Ziswiler

 

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