FROM FIREFIGHTERS TO FAIR WORKERS, DOCTORS TO PORT WORKERS, KINDERGARTEN TEACHERS TO SOCCER PLAYERS, IN 2020, EVERYONE VOTED ELECTRONICALLY.
One of the myths surrounding electronic voting in Chile was that it was a complex, highly technological process that was difficult to access for large sectors of the population.
Although this belief was gradually fading with facts, the Covid-19 pandemic managed to change this perception by modifying habits and customs in a forced and accelerated way. People’s and their institutions’ need to continue making decisions was stronger and, during 2020, there was not only a sustained increase in the number of electronic votes, but also a diversification of the type of institutions and voters that opted for this alternative of local democracy.
In 2020, EVoting reached more than a hundred labor unions, neighbors of La Reina (Chile), health workers, financial sector workers, mining sector workers, fair organizations, academics, kindergarten educators, teachers, doctors, students, engineers, soccer associations, volleyball associations, surfers, port workers, commerce, retail, the judiciary system, insurance companies, the forestry sector, neighbors of the city of Concepción (Chile), pilots, public accountants, fair workers, judges, non-profit foundations, public employees, media, etc.
They all highlight the safety, efficiency and simplicity of the process:
Firefighters of Concepción (Chile)
Marcelo Plaza, Superintendent of the Fire Department, indicated that the voting platform worked as a mechanism “that made our lives easier” and that “the process on voting day was impeccable”. He also highlighted the ease with which votes could be cast as one of the main positive factors of the system.
Chilean Medical Association
Dr. Sofía Salas, president of the National Electoral Commission of the national elections, valued the high participation of her colleagues, where “they participated despite this context and above all the very difficult year we have been through”.
Municipality of La Reina (Chile)
The municipality organized a communal consultation “La Reina Opina COVID-19”, where the neighbors gave their direct opinion on the municipal measures facing the pandemic. The Electoral Commission highlighted “the transparency of the consultation” and “the security of the results”.
Workers’ Association of the National Preschool Board (Chile)
Silvia Silva, president of AJUNJI, described the electronic voting experience as “historic”. She added that thanks to it, “members from the most remote places in the country were able to vote.” She assured that the EVoting system provides an “equitable, transparent and democratic” election process.
Unitary Union of Workers of Telefónica (Perú)
Eduardo Flores, President of the Electoral Committee stated that they had exceeded the participation objective: “As an electoral committee, we simply thought we would have over 50% participation, but we never thought it would reach 80% or pass 80%”. He added that in seeking an electronic election process they looked for “security, simplicity and speed.”
National Association of Employees of the Judiciary System – ANEJUD (Chile)
Jorge Morgado Espinoza, President Electoral Commission 2020 noted that electronic voting “allows us to reach more people, because paper voting means that they have to go to a physical place, with the associated costs, economic and time costs; and electronic voting makes it possible for people who are not present to also vote, wherever they are and at any time.”
Chilean Volleyball Federation – FEVOCHI.
“For us it was a historic milestone - said Jorge Pino, President of FEVOCHI - because we had never done a remote electronic assembly and we had never achieved 100% participation of the 100% of the associations that had to be present and vote. It happened this time”.