Victoria expands Linux e-voting roll-out

Victoria's Electoral Commission in Australia has flagged plans to expand its use of electronic voting kiosks based on Linux software in the next state election in November this year.

The state first started using the machines in a limited trial during the last state election in 2006. It appears as if the machines were used for voting for the vision-impaired, as well as for military personnel. However, in tender documents released last week, the state revealed it would expand its use of the machines. About one hundred kiosks will be deployed to early voting centers (including mobile facilities) around the state as well as in the United Kingdom. According to the tender documentation, the machines will consist of one in-built 19? LCD touch-screen, one PC with an Ethernet network port, and an in-built USB smartcard reader. The machine must be able to run Linux, as the commission has requested Linux drivers for the components. The commission stated it would install Linux on the machines itself, but it remains unclear which exact version of the open source operating system it will use.