17.10.2023
Abstract
The paper critically discusses the potential role of increased voting digitization as a way to increase voter turnout in 2024 European Parliament elections.
The paper starts by providing a general overview of the electoral law at European Union level and the digital transformation, placed in the current context of the digital revolution and the debate on wider EU institutional reform. Then, the paper discusses digitization, particularly E-voting, as a way to (possibly) increase voter turnout in the 2024 European Parliament elections, looking both at legal frameworks and voting tendencies. In a nutshell, E-voting can be understood as a complementary voting channel next to traditional/analogue ones. The end goal is to formulate policy recommendations meant to increase participation and strengthen democratic resilience, but also to suggest new lines of academic inquiry on a hotly debated topic.
Our guiding research questions are:
How can Member States minimize the risks and maximize the opportunities for these new technologies to strengthen the rule of law and ensure free and fair elections?
Can (increased) digitization of the voting processes in Europe enhance efficiency and/or credibility?
The research methodology mainly consists of critically analysing primary and secondary sources, mixing both qualitative and quantitative methods, with a comparative case study research design.
About the author
Mădălina Teodor is a PhD. Lecturer collaborator at the Faculty of Geography, University of Bucharest and counsellor within the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure of Romania.
Her scientific interests mainly aim to correlate various aspects of emerging technologies with societal development in Romania, but not only. She is dedicated to identifying solutions for developing digital techniques and exploring ways in which to increase life quality through the smart use of new technologies.
#digitization #democracy #reform #e-voting #elections #turnouts