Enhancing Trust, Transparency, and Engagement in Digital Voting

forthcoming

Digital transformation is reshaping democratic participation. Digital voting—both electronic (e-voting) and internet-based (i-voting)—represents a future-facing evolution of democratic participation, offering opportunities for improved accessibility, transparency, and engagement. However, these innovations also bring significant risks, including cybersecurity threats, data manipulation, unequal digital access, and public distrust in digital systems. The DIGIVOTE project addresses these challenges by promoting inclusive, secure, and rights-based digital voting systems across the EU. Focusing on both e-voting (electronic machines at polling stations) and i-voting (remote online voting), the project explores legal, ethical, and social implications of digital voting. While Estonia has pioneered national i-voting, most EU countries lack a coherent framework or shared understanding of trustworthy digital voting. DIGIVOTE aims to close this gap by fostering transnational dialogue and collaboration. Through citizens’ assemblies, surveys, policy labs, and different types of discussions, the project gathers insights from citizens, experts, policymakers, and civil society. It promotes democratic resilience by tackling disinformation, digital exclusion, and algorithmic bias, while ensuring that marginalized voices—youth, women, older adults, people with disabilities—are included in shaping digital democracy. DIGIVOTE contributes to key EU strategies such as the European Democracy Action Plan, Digital Services Act, and NIS2 Directive, and supports UN SDGs 4, 5, 10, and 16. Its outcomes include policy recommendations, inclusive engagement models, and awareness-raising tools to empower citizens and strengthen public trust in digital voting systems. DIGIVOTE is not just about digital tools—it’s about building a more democratic, transparent, and participatory Europe.