CoE CM/Rec(2017)5 on standards for e-voting

Nr Label Status
1 UI is easy to use for voters
1(a) Easy to interpret voting options
1(b) Voters involved in design
1(c) System compatibility
2 Independence for disabled voters
2(a) Special voting interfaces
2(b) WCAG 2.0 AA compliance
3 Other voting channels available if e-voting not universally accessible
4 Live election interface is explicit
5 Voting info presented uniformly
5(a) No superfluous info on ballot
5(b) No biased info about candidates
6 Secure aggregation across channels
7 Voters uniquely identifiable
8 Voters authenticated
9 One vote per voter…
9(a) …even if multiple casts allowed
9(b) …even if multiple channels
9(c) Multiple casts prevented otherwise
10 Voting system is protected
10(a) Voter taught to verify connection
10(b) Only official information on ballot
10(c) Cast ballots are tamper-resistant
10(d) Coercion resistance
11 Procedures ensure authentic ballot
12 Proper voter intent-capture
12(a) Ballot modifiable before casting
13 Voters can cast an abstain vote
14 Voters are advised of invalid votes
15 Individual verifiability
15(a) Paper copies of votes at polls
15(b) Statistical audits (e.g. RLAs)
16 Confirm of cast ballot
17 Can verify all valid votes incl.
18 Can verify only valid votes incl.
19 Ballot secrecy
19(a) Voter list separated from voting components
20 Data minimization
21 Authentication data is protected
21(a) Authentication uses cryptography
22 Voter list has access control
23 No transferable proof of cast vote
23(a) Paper-based proofs
23(b) No residual info after casting
23(c) Voters informed of ballot secrecy risks and mitigations
23(d) Voters taught to remove traces from devices
24 No disclosure of premature results
25 Pre-cast selections also secret
26 Voters anonymous during count
26(a) Voter identity and choice separated
26(b) Ballots decoded ASAP after close
26(c) Confidentiality during auditing
27 Gradual introduction of e-voting
27(a) Public feasibility study beforehand
27(b) Early pilots
27(c) Final system tested before election
27(d) Comprehensive pilots
28 Legislation enacted beforehand
28(a) Law: Implement/operate/count
28(b) Law: Vote validity
28(c) Law: Discrepancies in verification
28(d) Law: Data destruction
28(e) Law: Domestic/int’l observers
28(f) Law: Timelines
28(g) No voting before voting period
28(h) E-voting in-person allowed before
28(i) No voting after voting period
28(j) System delays don’t invalidate vote
28(k) System inaccessible after election
29 EMB has control over system
29(a) Transparent procurement
29(b) Limit conflicts of interest
29(c) Separation of duties
29(d) Not unduly dependent on vendor
30 Observability of the count
30(a) Records of vote-counting process
30(b) Evidence-based vote counts
30(c) Accuracy features are verifiable
30(d) Availability/integrity of ballot box
31 Transparency
31(a) Published list of software used
31(b) Public access to source code, docs
31(c) Detailed guidelines, incl. procedural manual
32 Voters provided info about election
32(a) Docs and support how to vote
32(b) Voter info widely available
32(c) Public demo of e-voting system
33 Disclosure of system components
33(a) Detailed/reliable observation data
33(b) Observers have access to docs
33(c) Docs in common language
33(d) Observers trained by EMB
33(e) Observable hardware and software testing
33(f) Observable certification process
34 Observable election
35 Component interoperability
36 Standards exist for e-voting
36(a) Certification aims and methods
37 Independent review of compliance
37(a) Certification costs determined
37(b) Certification bodies receive relevant info and get sufficient time
37(c) Certification mandate regularly reviewed
37(e) Certification reports are self-explanatory
37(f) Disclosure of certification docs
38 Certified system is immutable
39 Open and comprehensive auditing
39(a) Detailed auditing requirements
39(b) Components have synchronized time sources
39(c) Audit conclusions considered in future elections
40 EMB is responsible for compliance, availability, reliability, usability, and security
40(a) No downtime
40(b) Inform voters of incidents
40(c) No eligible voters excluded
40(d) Cast votes are accessible, secure, and accurate
40(e) No data loss when technical problems occur
40(f) Security mechanisms consider usability
40(g) System uptime regularly checked
40(h) E-voting infrastructure is secure
40(i) Disaster recovery plans exist
40(j) Possible to check state of protection of voting equipment
40(k) Permanent backup plans available
40(l) Incident response protocols available to staff
40(m) Post-election securely stored
41 Only authorized people have access to infrastructure
41(a) System access limited to necessary function
41(b) Two-person rule, mandatory reporting and monitoring during voting
41(c) Two-person rule for other critical technical activity
42 Deployed voting system is genuine and operates correctly
42(a) Equipment checked before each election
43 Software updates are recertified
43(a) Infrastructure deployment procedures
44 Vote protected and immutable once cast
45 No info released about votes and voters before counting commences
46 Secure handling of cryptographic material by electoral body
46(a) Cryptographic key generation ceremony open to public
47 Integrity incidents are reported
47(a) Integrity threats specified in advance
47(b) Incident mitigations specified
48 Integrity of voter/candidate lists
48(a) Security of printing process for voter cards
49 System identifies irregular votes
49(a) System determine if votes cast within time limit

◯: No info ⨂: Not applicable ⨀: Not met ◐: Partially met ⬤: Fully met

See also

Derived from

Online Voting in Ontario Municipalities:
A Standards-Based Review

CC BY 4.0 James Brunet & Aleksander Essex 2023

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