Estonia, renowned for its digital innovation, was the first country in Europe to introduce online voting in 2005. The new law reflects the shift in citizens’ behavior towards smart devices and aims to make e-Estonia accessible on these platforms. Over half of all votes in the March 2023 parliamentary elections in Estonia were cast digitally, showcasing the country’s commitment to digitization and e-government.
However, this change will not come into effect until October, meaning it cannot be used in the upcoming elections for the European Parliament in June. Despite this setback, Estonia remains committed to its vision of a fully digital society and continues to explore new ways to enhance its e-governance infrastructure.
The proposed law on electronic voting will now allow voting through special applications on mobile devices in addition to computers. The election commission will determine the technical conditions before each election. However, this change will not come into effect until October, meaning it cannot be used in the upcoming elections for the European Parliament in June. This setback has not deterred Estonia from continuing its push towards a fully digital society and e-governance infrastructure.