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practice Rostra - eParticipation, eVoting and eDemocracy in Denmark

Rostra - eParticipation, eVoting and eDemocracy in Denmark

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Acronym of the case:

ROSTRA

Web address of the case:

Country of the case:

Denmark

Posting Date:

17 November 2008

Last Edited Date:

24 November 2008

Author:

Lisbeth Hvingtoft (The Danish National IT and Telecom Agency (NITA))
Rostra - eParticipation, eVoting and eDemocracy in Denmark Logolhv's picture

Type of initiative

  • Project or service-imgProject or service
  • Strategic initiative-imgStrategic initiative

Case Abstract

ROSTRA is an online system for public debate and expression of opinions through voting facilities based on the Danish Digital Signature. The tool is a part (called afstemning og debat) of the Danish citizens portal borger.dk developed by the Danish National IT and Telecom Agency. It functions as a national “debate and voting portal” allowing citizens, businesses, politicians and journalists to participate in debates and votes organised by levels of government, subject, etc. The tool can handle debates and votes at the local, regional and national levels and it is possible to autencify your identity through login with the Danish Digital Signature.

Description of the case

Start date - End date
June 2007 (Ongoing)
Date operational
June 2007
Target Users
Citizen | Administrative
Target Users Description
All Danish citizen can use the eDemocracy on-line system on www.borger.dk, where it is possible to overview all active debates and votes in the country. If order to vote it is necessary to use the Danish Digital Signature.
Scope
National
Status
Operation
Language(s)
Danish

Policy Context and Legal Framework

In its modernisation programme, the government has committed to the use of ICT to underpin “creation of a more open, user-oriented and democratic administration” where both citizens and businesses have greater access to the workings of government and are able to participate in strengthened dialogue with politicians. While this commitment has not translated into any specific goals under the eGovernment strategy, it has nonetheless been acted on at the all of government level through the development of the online system for public debate and expression of opinions through voting facilities based on the Danish Digital Signature.

Project Size and Implementation

Type of initiative
Participation
Overall Implementation approach
Public administration
Technology choice
Open source software
Funding source
Public funding national
Project size
Implementation: €49-299,000
Yearly cost:
€1-49,000

Implementation and Management Approach

The tool is available for all Danish authorities. All debates and votes are shown at the national citizen portal. It is also possible to integrate the tool into other websites and designs. Authorities can define which groups of people are allowed to participate in a specific voting (i.e. citizens in a specific municipality).

To help the Danish authorities to set up and use the debate and voting system the Danish National IT and Telecom Agency have established a hot-line help.

Codes of conduct are available for both authorities and citizens.

This Danish National IT and Telecom Agency will implement the tool with a marketing plan towards the Danish authorities to increase the volume of the debates and votes.

Impact, innovation and results

Impact

Further developed pilot project autumn 2008: On the basis of the ROSTRA tool Denmark developed a new voting system for binding election regarding the Danish parochial church councils. To secure the secrecy of the ballot and to ensure unique identification of the voter, the voting process is developed around the Danish Digital Signature. It was possible for all potential voters to cast their vote digitally in a period for 10 days before the physical election took place, November 2008. To ensure that there will be no connectivity between the voters personal information and the vote itself, it has been decided, that once you vote digitally, the option to physically place your vote at the voting facility is suspended.

This e-election is a pilot project between The Ministry of Ecclesiastical Affairs and The National IT and Telecom Agency. The pilot project will be evaluated late 2008 in order to decide, whether this type of electronic voting system should be used in elections regarding the Danish parochial church councils and other binding election to ensure the possibility of casting the vote digitally.

Track record of sharing

Early 2009 the source code will be at disposal at the open source software exchange website http://www.softwareborsen.dk

Lessons learnt

The project will be evaluated late 2008. The expected lessons to be learned:

- A network of authorities is very important

- Intensive marketing is necessary

- User involvement in the development produces user-friendly solutions


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