Initial work begins for electronic voting in Turkey

In Turkey, a working group formed by Ankara University's Faculty of Political Sciences, which also includes experts from the Supreme Election Council (YSK), has begun technical work to transition to an electronic voting system.

In Turkey, electronic voting can currently only be used for voters abroad, in accordance with Law No. 298 on the Basic Provisions of Elections and Voter Registers. While there is a provision in the law regarding this, electronic voting has not yet been implemented for voters registered in the overseas voter registry.

Apart from this, there is no legal regulation in Turkey that allows for electronic voting in parliamentary, presidential, or local government elections.

Following statements by YSK Chairman Ahmet Yener that work could be initiated toward electronic voting in Turkey, a working group was formed consisting of experts from Ankara University's Faculties of Political Sciences, Law, and Engineering, as well as the YSK.

The group is currently examining international examples of electronic voting and preparing the computer and software infrastructure.

The system, which will be created as a result of the work that will gain momentum after the March 31 Local Government General Elections, is planned to be used first in elections for professional organizations, cooperatives, and student representatives at universities.

Once the project is completed and any shortcomings are addressed, the goal is to integrate the system into parliamentary, presidential, and local government elections.

"THE YSK IS THE MANAGER OF THE PROCESS"

Ankara University Rector Prof. Dr. Necdet Ünüvar stated that following the Presidential Election held on May 28, YSK Chairman Ahmet Yener called for elections to be held in electronic environments, and that he subsequently held a meeting with Yener.

Stating that he informed YSK Chairman Yener that they could initiate a study as a university, Ünüvar explained that preparations have begun by the working group formed thereafter, and that the YSK is the executor of the process.

Necdet Ünüvar said, "We see ourselves as an institution providing the necessary scientific and technical support to them. Preliminary work has begun. The reliability of elections, software, and legal issues are very important; discussions are ongoing in these three areas."

"WORK IS UNDERWAY ON ELECTION MATHEMATICS"

Ankara University Vice Rector and Dean of the Faculty of Political Sciences Prof. Dr. Orhan Çelik also provided information regarding the technical work.

Explaining that the working group consists of three dimensions, one of which is the technical section working on election systems and election mathematics, Çelik said:

"This group includes experts from the Faculty of Political Sciences and the YSK. Our second working group is conducting studies on legal matters, scanning the legislation in countries that implement electronic elections, and comparing them with the legislation in Turkey. Work is being done on what can be done in terms of legal regulations and other legislative arrangements, and in what process this can be done. Our third working group is the software dimension, which is working on establishing the computer and software infrastructure. These three different committees are working to reach the goal."

Çelik stated that the work will intensify after the election, and that the working group has begun producing reports and documents.

Stating that they have started working with the goal of moving Turkey's parliamentary, presidential, and local government elections to an electronic environment, Çelik said, "But this goal is the final point to be reached. Before that, we aim to reach this goal gradually in the elections of professional organizations and cooperatives at every level."

Expressing that this phasing will allow the system to be tested and its shortcomings to be addressed, Orhan Çelik noted that while the process will take a long time to complete the project and address its shortcomings, they are at a stage where they could immediately begin using this system in student representative elections at universities.

Prof. Dr. Orhan Çelik said that electronic voting would provide significant advantages in terms of time cost, security infrastructure, reaching results immediately, and controlling and ensuring the reliability of every stage of the election.

Emphasizing that the legal infrastructure must also be prepared simultaneously, Çelik said, "The YSK or the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM) will need to take steps regarding how the legal structure will be formed."