Among the various solutions created in the field of electronic voting systems, the introduction of a biometric fingerprint sensor is, without doubt, one of the major advancements revolutionizing law-making activities performed in Assembly Halls and Parliaments.
Eurel Informatica S.p.A. in 2009, already launched in finding solutions involving Identity Cards, was the first to introduce this solution in the Hemicycle of the Chamber of Deputies in Rome.
The sophisticated biometric tool, also known as the electronic "anti-pianist" vote, was received with great enthusiasm, not only because it was able to solve the age-old, inconvenient issue of the Deputies not only voting for themselves but for those close to them but for the first time a system existed able to ensure transparency, legality, security and rapidity during voting procedures that had been introduced and embedded in the electronic voting system terminal.
How does the biometric fingerprint function?
The system installed in the voting terminal is highly selective and reliable as it is based on gathering a Pattern taken from the minutiae of the fingerprints
Once the Identity Badge has been enrolled the pattern is used during the vote enable step for the purpose of comparing the voter's fingerprint based on the biometric enrolment of the characteristic fingerprint points - the so-called the "minutiae".
To be more precise, the terminal is enabled for voting only if the comparison between the biometric data on the card match those of the Deputy. .
The Assembly may further decide at any time to adopt the system, otherwise based on the requirements of the Hemicycle
The fingerprint technology offers a large number of unquestionable advantages as can be seen below:
- Univocity of the votes cast
- Certification of the voter's identity
- Rendering political activities even more transparent
- Obviating illicit voting and the so-called "pianist" phenomenon
The Fingerprint sensor designed and implemented by Eurel Informatica S.p.a., is capable of storing over different two thousand fingerprints as well as identifying a fingerprint in real time in less than a second.
This function is destined to become vital for automating legislative activities as well where small and large parliamentary are involved.
