Remote Voting

The term Remote Voting refers to voting performed away from a traditional polling station, potentially through mail, approved electronic systems, mobile arrangements, or other methods authorized by the jurisdiction. It gives election, security, legal, or technical readers a specific label for the concept rather than a broader everyday meaning.

Examples of remote voting include vote by mail, absentee voting from a location chosen by the voter, and in some jurisdictions approved electronic or internet-based methods for limited voter groups. The defining feature is that the ballot is cast away from a traditional supervised polling station. What is authorized varies by jurisdiction.

Remote voting raises security questions about voter authentication, ballot secrecy, coercion, delivery, device or network compromise, malware, chain of custody, availability, and reliable return of the ballot. The risk profile depends heavily on the method: mailed paper ballots and internet voting have different threats, evidence, controls, and recovery options.