The Laboratory for Evaluation and Innovation in Public Policies (LAIPP) published an article entitled “WHAT ARE THE IMPACTS OF THE ADOPTION OF THE ELECTRONIC BALLOT BOX IN BRAZIL?”.

The article comments on how until the 1990s, Brazil held its elections using paper voting. However, filling out voting paper, which would be a trivial act for people with some level of education, was a challenge at the time, especially when 23% of adults were unable to read and write. The problem became worse since citizens were required to write the candidate's name to validate their vote and the instructions were in writing.

The electronic ballot box, on the other hand, contains error messages when the vote is counted as null or blank, shows the photo of the chosen candidate and has step-by-step guidance on how to vote. Furthermore, instead of a name, the voter only needs to enter the numbers of the chosen candidate. In other words, the electronic ballot box reduced the difficulties of voting and led to a reduction in blank and invalid votes.

Therefore, among the various effects of adopting the electronic ballot box, we can understand that greater political participation by the lower economic classes in elections has become possible, so that these citizens, through the exercise of their right to vote, are able to achieve a greater redistribution of public resources in their favor. To read this and other articles in full, click here .