Estonian president promulgates amendments to e-election regulation

TALLINN – Estonian President Alar Karis on Friday signed into law a set of amendments to the Riigikogu Election Act and associated laws concerning the regulation of e-voting.

The amendments do not change the functioning of electronic voting in substance or technically. Nor does the law list the technical means from which electronic voting is possible.

For electronic voting, a regulation is provided for voter identification. The amendments also create a legal basis for the use of other e-identification systems in addition to identification by ID-card.

The amended law clearly allows for the possibility of mobile voting, or m-voting, in future elections. It stipulates that the National Electoral Committee will assess the suitability of technical solutions before each election and defines the operating systems to be used by its decision.

The amendment eliminates the issues in the e-voting regulation revealed during the last elections, which were highlighted by the Supreme Court. To ensure legal clarity, the law was amended to specify the duties and responsibilities of the State Electoral Office in the development and management of election-related information systems, as well as their funding. Additionally, the law now includes the possibility of involving the Information System Authority and other competent institutions and individuals in the development and management of these information systems and the provision of cybersecurity.