Digitalisation and elections: Key lessons from South Africa

Abstract

Free and fair elections are a prerequisite for a healthy democracy, giving people the right to exercise their power to choose or change their leaders. This chapter does not suggest that a democratic system of governance is the only valid form of government. However, it is a system favoured by many countries, due to its ability to allow citizens to participate in persuading their leaders to act for the greater public good. Over the past decade, many African countries have experienced complex electoral challenges linked to failing traditional methods of voting, as well as general malpractice negatively affecting election outcomes. Furthermore, while the following list is not exhaustive, democracy in many developing countries is in crisis due to factors such as a growing lack of trust in government leaders and politicians, weak governance, and poor electoral systems marked by voter apathy, low registration numbers, and low voter turnout – especially among the youth. In a bid to improve election efficiency and bolster voter participation, African countries are slowly turning to digital technology. Building on a South African case study, this chapter argues for adopting digital technologies to boost election management on the continent, particularly technology geared towards solving country-specific challenges. During its 2021 local government elections, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, South Africa piloted the use of around 40 000 voter management devices (VMDs). This technology can be likened to that of the more popular Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) devices used across Africa, West Asia and Latin America to electronically verify voters while also tackling double voting and election fraud. The chapter concludes that although not perfect, and for various reasons, VMDs were a game-changer for elections in South Africa