Voting booth with Brazilian electronic ballot machine

Brazilian voting booth with electronic ballot machine, symbol of transparency and efficiency in elections since 1996.

About this subject

The Brazilian electronic voting machine, introduced in 1996, is a milestone in the country's electoral history. Developed by the Superior Electoral Court (TSE) in partnership with the National Institute for Space Research (INPE), it replaced paper ballots, reducing fraud and speeding up vote counting. The equipment features a numeric keypad and a liquid crystal display, where the voter types the candidate's number. The system is auditable and uses encryption to ensure ballot integrity.

In Brazilian elections, voting takes place at polling stations organized in schools and public buildings. The voter goes to the voting booth, a plastic or metal structure that ensures privacy. The electronic voting machine is battery-powered and works even without electricity. The process is fast: on average, a voter takes less than a minute to cast their ballot.

Brazil is the only country in the world to hold fully electronic elections across its entire national territory. Since 2000, the electronic voting machine has also been used in other countries, such as Argentina and Paraguay, in partnership with the TSE. The system's reliability is attested by public security tests conducted before each election.

In 2022, Brazil had over 577,000 electronic voting machines, serving 156 million voters. Technology has evolved: in 2020, machines with biometrics and fingerprint identification were introduced. Despite criticisms about the lack of a printed audit trail, the system is widely accepted by the population.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does the Brazilian electronic voting machine work?

The voter types the candidate's number on the keypad, confirms on the screen, and the vote is stored in an encrypted memory card. The system is not connected to the internet, ensuring security.

Is the electronic voting machine secure against fraud?

Yes. It undergoes public security tests before each election, and the software is auditable. The machine is not networked, and the vote is anonymous.

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

It was introduced in 1996 for municipal elections. Since 2000, it has been used in all federal, state, and municipal elections.