Electronic vote machine technician configuring Brazilian voting machine

A technician configures the Brazilian electronic voting machine, a model used since 1996, known for its security and efficiency.

About this subject

The Brazilian electronic voting machine, officially called Urna Eletrônica, was developed by the Superior Electoral Court (TSE) in partnership with the National Institute for Space Research (INPE) and the Brazilian Air Force. Introduced in 1996, it replaced paper ballots, drastically reducing fraud and counting errors. The current model, as shown in the image, features a numeric keypad, liquid crystal display, and a voting receipt printer. The machine operates autonomously, without internet connection, and uses advanced cryptography to ensure vote integrity. Configuration by specialized technicians includes installing electoral software, performing functional tests, and entering candidate and voter data. Brazil is one of the few countries worldwide to adopt 100% electronic voting across its entire territory, with over 500,000 machines used in each election. The system's security is constantly audited by political parties, oversight bodies, and international experts.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does the electronic voting machine ensure vote security?

The machine has no internet connection, uses encryption, and prints a receipt (voter-verified paper audit trail) for auditing. The software is digitally signed and tested before elections.

Since when has the electronic voting machine been used in Brazil?

The electronic voting machine was introduced in 1996, first used in the municipal elections that year. It has undergone several updates since then.

How many electronic voting machines are used in each election?

In each election, about 500,000 electronic voting machines are used across Brazil, covering all municipalities and electoral zones.