[kictanet] Tech and Elections Law

[Alex Watila]

Dear all,

I think it was unwise to write specific technologies into the law as technology moves e.g.

*         Biometric is no longer considered secure because of 3d printing

*         Why insist on a web portal while sms verification worked well in the past? 

*         Technology is not a panacea to all electoral issues i.e. the people, procedure and policy issues need to be resolved

 

Regards,

 

Alex

 

From: kictanet [mailto:kictanet-bounces+awatila=yahoo.co.uk at lists.kictanet.or.ke] On Behalf Of Daudi Were via kictanet
Sent: Friday, September 23, 2016 2:49 PM
To: awatila at yahoo.co.uk
Cc: Daudi Were <daudi.were at gmail.com>
Subject: [kictanet] Tech and Elections Law

 

Listers,

 

The Elections Law (Amendment) Bill, 2016 <http://kenyalaw.org/kl/fileadmin/pdfdownloads/bills/2016/ElectionsLaw_Amendment_Bill_2016.pdf>  [pdf 606 KB] was tabled in Bunge on 26th August.

 

Nine parts that jumped out at me. 

*	2(e) defines "biometric" which includes "signatures" 
*	4(2) IEBC has to a "public web portal" for inspection of the register of members of the public.
*	44(2) IEBC to develop a policy on the progressive use of technology in the electoral process.
*	44(7)(a) technology used for 2017 restricted to the process of voter registration, identification of voters and results transmission; (No electronic voting this time round)

On the tech itself (open source only solutions?)

*	44 (3) technology should be simple, accurate, verifiable, secure, accountable and transparent.
*	44 (5)(f) IEBC and others need "access to electoral system software source codes"

On timelines IEBC

*	8A. (1) at least six months before a general election, engage a professional reputable firm to conduct an audit of the Register of Voters
*	44 (7)(b) tech has to be procured at least eight months before the general election (Dec 2016 for an Aug 2017 election)
*	44 (7)(b) test, verify and deploy such technology at least sixty days before a general election.

I suspect some of the members here were instrumental in drafting section 44. I would be interested to hear their thoughts on the process. Particularly interested in 

1.	the push for open source software. (Disclosure, I am currently the CEO of Ushahidi <https://www.ushahidi.com/>  - we build and use open source software)
2.	whether we feel the timelines are realistic

 

-- 

Daudi Were | daudi at were.co.ke <mailto:daudi at were.co.ke> 

Technology + Strategy

Too brief? Here's why! http://emailcharter.org

 

 

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