Election experts from Latin America and the Caribbean gathered in Puerto Rico for the first International Congress of Electoral Technology. This landmark event, organized jointly by the State Election Commission of Puerto Rico and the Inter-American Institute of Human Rights (IIDH), brought together representatives from electoral organizations in 17 countries and 13 industry companies. During the three-day event, May 10 to 12, participants showcased technologies designed to modernize election processes.
Smartmatic, the world leader in election technology, exhibited its newest line of electoral products, which includes a ballot marking device (BMD), an optical ballot scanner for precincts (PCOS), an optical scanner for centralized counting facilities (CCOS), and Smartmatic’s Election Management System software (EMS). In addition, two Smartmatic representatives gave thought-provoking presentations that displayed expertise gathered deploying election technologies around the world over the last two decades.
Samira Saba, Smartmatic’s Director of Communications, led a presentation titled, “Communications and Elections.” With nearly two decades at the helm of Smartmatic’s communications, Saba explored the profound transformations in the field that have occurred in recent years and how these changes have influenced the role of electoral commissioners.
“In the past, most electoral bodies relegated communications to a secondary role after priority issues were addressed. Today, the communications area holds a significant place. Efficiently communicating about election administration and diligently addressing and communication crises are a priority.”
During her presentation, Saba delved into the impact of misinformation in elections and shared strategies for mitigating this phenomenon. She introduced Smartmatic’s practical 5-step handbook, designed to assist election management bodies in fighting disinformation during elections. [download here]
Smartmatic’s Chief Technology Officer Eduardo Correia provided a comprehensive overview of the company’s portfolio. His presentation covered the complete electoral process – from the modernization of voting centers to secure and auditable in-person voting.
Correia emphasized the crucial role of operational continuity and effective incident management in successful election technology deployments.
As a trailblazer in election technologies and services, Smartmatic has successfully recorded and counted over 6.5 billion votes. The company remains committed to participating in events such as this, fostering discussions on election integrity, and contributing to the development of more efficient and transparent governments.
