This Sunday (October 4), millions of Brazilians pressed buttons on electronic voting machines to choose their political representatives. In Brazil, this process is familiar, but voting can look very different around the world: some countries send ballots by mail, others allow voters to cast their ballots online, while some still rely on paper ballots.
Each system was shaped by different political and historical contexts, bringing its own challenges. Looking at some of these voting methods helps show that there is no single way to organize an election.
1. Compulsory voting
In Brazil, voting is mandatory for literate citizens between the ages of 18 and 70. For 16- and 17-year-olds, people over 70, and illiterate citizens, voting is optional. The rule is established by the Federal Constitution.
Australia has also required voting in federal elections since 1924. The change came after a decline in voter turnout, and since then, turnout in federal elections has remained above 90%, according to the Australian Electoral Commission.
2. Voting by mail
Instead of going to a polling station, some voters can receive their ballots at home, fill them out, and return them by mail. The method is used in several countries and can make voting easier for people who are traveling, live far from polling places, or have difficulty voting in person.
In Switzerland, voting by mail has become an important part of the electoral system, especially because citizens regularly participate in elections and popular votes. In addition to elections, people are called to vote around four times a year on specific issues, such as constitutional amendments, laws, and other political decisions.
In the United States, Oregon adopted vote-by-mail as the exclusive voting method for its state and federal elections after changes approved by voters in 1998.
Convenience is one of the main features of this system, but it also requires mechanisms to ensure voter identification, ballot secrecy, and security throughout the process.
3. Electronic voting machines
Brazil began using electronic voting machines in the 1996 elections. That year, more than 32 million Brazilians voted electronically. By 2000, the system was being used in every municipality in the country. The shift to electronic voting was intended to make voting and vote counting faster while reducing problems associated with manual counting.
India also uses electronic voting machines. The system, known as EVM, is accompanied by VVPAT, a mechanism that allows voters to verify a paper record of their choice.
In Brazil, electronic voting machines operate independently: they do not have an internet, Wi-Fi, or Bluetooth connection and are not connected to any data network during voting. Election results are also not transmitted directly from the machines. After voting ends, the data is extracted from the equipment and processed according to procedures established by the Electoral Justice system.
The security of the system is also continuously reviewed by Brazil’s Superior Electoral Court (TSE). It relies on multiple layers of protection, including authentication mechanisms, digital signatures, physical seals, and tests conducted before and during elections. The system also undergoes public security tests, in which specialists and researchers can attempt to identify potential vulnerabilities.
As a result, Brazil’s electronic voting machines were developed with multiple layers of protection and remain isolated from external networks during voting. In addition, the results from each polling station are recorded in official voting reports, which can be checked and compared with the data used in the final vote tally.
4. Online voting
Estonia was the first country to hold national elections with online voting, in 2005. To vote, citizens use a digital identity to authenticate themselves. Today, about one-third of votes in the country are cast online, according to Estonia’s electoral commission.
The system aims to make political participation more accessible and allows voters to cast their ballots during the early voting period, which takes place before the official election day. Voters can also change their electronic vote while the early voting period remains open.
Despite its convenience, online voting brings specific challenges, particularly concerning cybersecurity, data protection, and the possibility of coercion. For this reason, although Estonia’s experience is closely followed by other countries, online voting remains relatively uncommon.
5. Paper ballots
Even with the advancement of technology, some countries continue to use paper ballots as their primary voting method. In the United Kingdom, for example, voters use physical ballots that are later verified and counted by hand. The process is overseen by election officials and representatives of candidates to ensure proper monitoring.
In Germany, a 2009 ruling by the Federal Constitutional Court established that any technology used in elections must allow citizens to verify the essential stages of the voting process without requiring specialized technical knowledge.
Under this model, being able to physically observe the ballots and the counting process plays an important role in discussions about transparency. On the other hand, manual counting requires more time and a larger workforce.
The choices behind voting
From compulsory voting to online elections, different systems show that there is no single way to organize an election. Each country makes its own choices about participation, accessibility, technology, security, and transparency.
Comparing these experiences shows that the way we vote is not a universal rule, but a choice shaped by each country’s history. Looking at different electoral systems can therefore also help us understand the decisions behind the way each election works.
The article above was edited by Nina Simonetti.
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