Electronic ballot counting will deliver 2019 MEP election result in record time

€2.2 million electronic ballot counting software to be deployed in 2019 MEP elections

The Electoral Commission has selected Idox plc to deliver software and technical infrastructure for electronic ballot counting in support in the 2019 European Parliament and Local Council elections.

The software will be used for all forthcoming elections until 2024. The contract is valued at €2.2 million.

Through the use of an e-counting solution developed by Idox, the scanning of ballot papers will take hours and calculations just minutes improving the accuracy and auditability of results.

The 2019 European elections in Malta will result in the election of six members of the European Parliament, whilst the local council elections will elect approximately 450 councillors across Malta’s 68 councils. The election of members serving on the administrative committee of 16 hamlets will also take place.

As Malta uses the Single Transferable Vote (STV) system, it is possible for the electorate to vote for every candidate in order of preference. Due to this complexity, the manual counting of ballot papers can take anywhere between three and four days before the counting process is completed. In 2019, scanning of ballot papers will take hours and calculations just minutes improving the accuracy and auditability of results.

Joseph Church, Chief Electoral Commissioner said: “The award of this contract marks a significant step forward in the preparations for the 2019 elections. Over the past eighteen months, the Electoral Commission has worked closely with its stakeholders to develop an e-counting system specification, to ensure the delivery of an accurate, effective and transparent e-counting system which will meet all expectations.”

Church said the next 12 months will be of vital importance as the Electoral Commission will engage in a robust testing regime of the e-counting system in advance of the elections in 2019. “This will provide confidence for the electorate, political parties, candidates and all those with an interest in Maltese elections."

The contract was signed with Andrew Riley, Chief Executive Officer, on behalf of Idox plc.