Internet voting experiences in U.S. election history.
By leveraging Smartmatic's custom-built i-voting solution, the State
Republican Party of Utah brought a new, secure and convenient option to
participants in its Presidential Preference Caucus.
Nearly 90% of voters registered to vote online participated in Tuesday's
caucus, marking an extremely high turnout rate. Voters of all ages, from
millennials right through to people in their 80s, chose to cast their
vote online. Participation was strongest amongst voters aged 56-65.
The online system also made the election more inclusive as Utah
Republicans voted online from over 45 countries, including places as far
away as French Polynesia, South Africa and Japan. In addition to strong
demand among those voting online, thousands called Smartmatic and Utah
GOP helplines on Election Day seeking to register to vote online.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMhfnlv_0w4
Commenting on the online voting experience in this first-ever Caucus
held in Utah, James Evans, Chairman of the Utah Republican Party stated:
"We are proud to have taken a leading role in election modernization. By
offering online voting, we expanded the number of options citizens have
to participate and made voting as convenient as possible. Technology
proved key in engaging citizens and bolstering democracy."
After making their selections, online voting participants were asked to
provide feedback on their experience:
94% of respondents described the online voting experience as good.
97% would consider voting online in future elections.
82% wanted to see online voting implemented online voting tool nationwide.
The vote comes on the heels of new
research suggesting that 81% of American voters felt changes needed
to be made to the US voter experience and voting system.
"We know old systems and long lines reduce participation and hurt the
democratic process," said Antonio Mugica, Smartmatic's CEO. "Voter
feedback is clear. Online voting in the Utah GOP caucus demonstrates how
efficient, cutting-edge technology-based solutions help make elections
more inclusive and the voting experience easier and more accessible."
About Smartmatic
Founded in the USA in 2000, Smartmatic is the leading provider of voting
technologies and solutions worldwide. Today, out of the eight countries
pioneering election automation Smartmatic provides technology and
services to six of them: Belgium, Brazil, Estonia, the Philippines, USA
and Venezuela.
The company has managed elections across five continents, processing
over 2.5 billion votes. It serves customers through an organization
comprising over 600 employees across 12 offices around the world.
Smartmatic is headquartered in London, UK. For more information, visit www.smartmatic.com.
