Electronic vote machine technician configuring Brazilian voting machine

A technician configures a Brazilian electronic voting machine, a device that since 1996 has revolutionized voting in the country with speed and security.

About this subject

The Brazilian electronic voting machine, officially called the Urna Eletrônica, was developed by the Superior Electoral Court (TSE) in partnership with the Center for Research and Development in Telecommunications (CPqD) and the company OmniSys. The first prototype was tested in 1996 during municipal elections in 57 cities, and since 2000 it has been used nationwide. The device is compact, weighing about 4 kg, featuring a numeric keypad and a liquid crystal display, plus a customized Linux operating system. One of its main innovations is the printed vote, which allows the voter to verify their choice before confirmation, ensuring transparency. Brazil is one of the few countries in the world that conducts fully electronic elections, with over 150 million eligible voters. Security is reinforced by physical and digital seals, as well as public audits carried out before and after voting. The technician in the image performs the pre-configuration, entering candidate and party lists, and testing the machine's functionality. This process takes place at electoral offices and polling stations days before the election, under the supervision of electoral judges. The Brazilian electronic voting machine is considered a model of efficiency, with results tallied within hours after polls close.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does the Brazilian electronic voting machine work?

The machine has a numeric keypad where the voter types the candidate or party number, verifies the name and photo on the screen, and confirms. The vote is stored on an encrypted memory card and also printed for auditing.

Is the electronic voting machine secure against fraud?

Yes, the system has multiple security layers: physical seals, digital signatures, vote encryption, and public audits. The source code is open for inspection by political parties and experts.

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

The first use was in 1996 on a trial basis, and since 2000 all Brazilian elections have been conducted exclusively with electronic voting machines.