Since 1999, in the majority of Flemish municipalities and throughout the Brussels-Capital Region, voters have had to use a voting computer in the polling booth. Despite the cost, the lack of transparency, the bugs and incidents at each election... they voted twice again in 2024 with this system. Other regions, such as Wallonia, and most EU countries have abandoned electronic voting altogether.

What is the history of these voting computers? How do the systems used work in practice? What democratic problems are posed by the use of these voting machines? What are the bugs and incidents? What other computer systems are used in elections? Are they dangerous? How can citizens regain control of elections?

All these questions, and others of an ethical or technical nature were discussed with two members of the citizens’ association PourEVA (Pour une Éthique du Vote Automatisé https://www.poureva.be/), which for nearly 25 years has been fighting for a return, throughout Belgium, to a system of elections that allows real control by voters, as is the case with ’paper’ voting.

Every 2nd Monday of the month, these critical reflection encounters propose to address topics related to the digital (e.g. algorithms, surveillance capitalism, ecological impacts, etc.) and to explore alternative ways of doing things (discovery of free and ethical tools, de-gluing of smartphones, protection of communications, etc.).

These meetings are organised by one of Constant’s partner, Tactic.

Photo : TSE - Tribunal Superior Eleitoral - Domaine Public