Is e-voting a possibility for Botswana’s 2014 general elections?

Abstract

This paper explores the possibility of using electronic voting in the 2014general elections in Botswana. Electronic voting has a variety of benefits,including faster electoral processes in terms of voter registration, castingand counting of votes and, in terms of releasing the election results.The application of ICT in the electoral process is gaining momentum indeveloped countries because of the benefits associated with it. The paperexplores the possibility of using this technology in the 2014 generalconsidering the ICT infrastructure, strategies, policies and facilitiesavailable in Botswana. Data were collected from various stakeholders,including the Independent Electoral Commission, political parties andsecondary sources. The findings suggest that although Botswana hasthe requisite infrastructure to support e-voting, e-voting would not bepossible in the 2014 elections due to a number of factors such as lack ofa legal framework that supports e-voting, long consultation processesand lack of access to computers and the internet by the majority of theelectorate. E-voting is thus a dream for Botswana, but one which maybecome a reality in the near future