Voting technology experts believe that Chile has reached the maturity level needed to adopt electronic voting.
Electronic voting would lead to a 40 percent savings in resources compared to the estimated expenses of a manual voting system. In addition, it provides greater transparency and quicker delivery of results.
Some types of electronic voting are able to count the votes and totalized them immediately, although this depends on the level of automation.
The growing use of electronic voting in Latin America has been harmonious and exponential at the same time. Its effectiveness has led to its adoption in new countries while spurring growing interest thanks to the transparency it offers.
In Chile, e-voting has been used primarily in the private sector. For example, it has been used for elections in universities and professional organizations. It has also been tested out in local elections.
However, the government of Michelle Bachelet has already stated its interest in more widespread use of electronic voting. In particular, it is being looked as a possible platform for voters living abroad.
Skepticism about using electronic voting has decreased slowly, much in the same way that online banking gained acceptance and now is used in a daily basis. Electronic voting technology includes complex encryption and security protocols. Moreover, it optimizes processes during the election and provides reliable reporting and auditability.