Finland recommends against Internet voting

Finland did an extensive study in 2017, running from February to November, and reported its final results in December.

The report concluded that the risks of online voting outweigh its benefits.

The original government web page has been replaced by a new page: Nettiäänestyksen esiselvitys. Documents are in section Asiakirjat (“Documentation”).
SIDEBAR: The last archive of the previous Nettiäänestys page is from June 16, 2017. END SIDEBAR

Press releases

• Working group: Risks of online voting outweigh its benefits – Ministry of Justice, Finland – December 19, 2017
• Työryhmä: Nettiäänestyksen riskit suuremmat kuin hyödyt (Finnish)
• Ministeri Häkkänen: Nettiäänestyksen käyttöönotolle ei edellytyksiä nykytilanteessa (Finnish)
• Arbetsgrupp: Mer risker än fördelar med internetröstning (Swedish)
• Minister Häkkänen: I nuläget finns det inte förutsättningar att införa internetröstning (Swedish)

Reports

• Summary of the feasibility study (PDF) – also available at julkaisut.valtioneuvosto.fi
• Conclusions and recommendations (PDF) – also available at julkaisut.valtioneuvosto.fi
• Online voting in Finland. A feasibility study 2017.  / Nettiäänestys Suomessa. Esiselvitys (Finnish)
• Preconditions for online voting in Finland. Final report. /  Nettiäänestyksen edellytykset Suomessa. Nettiäänestystyöryhmän loppuraportti (Finnish)
• Summary of the feasibility study / Internetröstning i Finland – Sammandrag av förutredningen (Swedish)
• Conclusions and recommendations / Internetröstning i Finland – Slutsatser och rekommendationer (Swedish)

Key Statements

Online voting technology and the development of the structures required for the system are not yet at a level that would enable a sufficiently secure implementation and introduction of the system. There are still open questions in terms of verifiability and the secrecy of the ballot. It is not expected that the key risks related to online voting would be solved in the next few years.

The monitoring group came into the conclusion that online voting should not be introduced in general elections, because the risks involved are greater than the benefits. Online voting would not resolve the current problems, such as the low voter turnout.

Previously:
March 14, 2017  Internet voting in Finland

• Internet voting
• Links to documents