- For the first time, the country will introduce online voting in its elections to the Federal National Council so that voters can vote from any device with an Internet connection. This also includes Emiratis outside the country.
- The online voting system will be combined with in-person internet voting at polling stations through electronic voting kiosks, a digital channel that the United Arab Emirates has been using since 2006.
- The online voting platform will have a facial recognition authentication system.
- Scytl consolidates its position in the country, where it has been present for 12 years and where it has provided election technology for the last three election cycles: in 2019, 2015, and 2011.
Barcelona, September 18, 2023 – Scytl, leader in online voting and electoral modernization, has won a contract to facilitate online voting in the national elections to the Federal National Council of the United Arab Emirates, scheduled for October of this year. Thanks to the contract signed between the company and the Ministry of State for Federal National Council Affairs (MFNCA), Scytl will contribute to the UAE becoming the first country in the world to hold an entirely digital election.
Specifically, for the first time, the country will introduce online voting so that voters can exercise their right to vote from any device with an Internet connection. This also includes Emiratis who are outside the country during the election, with online voting replacing traditional paper-voting methods.
This system will be combined with in-person internet voting at polling stations through electronic voting kiosks, a digital channel that the country has used in previous elections.
The CEO of Scytl, Raoul Roverato, recalled that “this is the fourth time that the country has entrusted us with its elections to the Federal National Council and, although for Scytl it has always been an exciting project, this year it is even more so because of the milestone it represents in the history of governmental elections: the first fully digital process. We are proud to help this country become the first to hold an all-digital election with our technology, and also to set a precedent for other countries to modernize and follow in the UAE’s lead.”
Online Voting Platform with Facial Recognition
For this important milestone, Scytl will be responsible for providing the electoral technology necessary for the optimal development of the elections. In this sense, it will launch an online platform from which Emiratis can elect members to the Federal National Council from any device with an Internet connection. It is a secure, efficient, and intuitive channel, where the voter can authenticate themself with facial recognition.
Additionally, the firm will deploy its internet voting technology with the strictest security measures throughout 24 polling stations in the seven emirates, guaranteeing voters total privacy and secrecy when casting their vote.
Fourth Consecutive National Election in the UAE
With the upcoming election, Scytl consolidates its position in the United Arab Emirates, a country in which it has been present for 12 years and has been responsible for providing secure technology for electronic voting kiosks in the last three elections: in 2019, 2015, and 2011.
In the case of the 2019 elections, there was an increase in participation of 48% compared to 2015. During these elections, Scytl implemented its technology in more than 1,000 electronic voting kiosks located in 39 polling stations across the seven emirates. In addition to automating every step of the voting process, ballots were also counted and consolidated quickly, and results were announced 13 minutes after the closing of polls.
About Scytl Election Technologies
Scytl is leading digital transformation in elections around the world. Its cutting-edge technology, implemented with precision and under the highest security standards, has allowed more than 30 countries to rely on the knowledge and experience of the firm, protected by more than 50 international patents. Scytl is part of Grenadier Holdings.
