Since 2020, Albania’s Central Election Commission (CEC) has been making strides in improving election integrity. As a trusted partner to the CEC, Smartmatic provided technology solutions for biometric voter authentication and electronic voting for elections in 2021, 2022 and 2023.
To ensure technology implementation ran smoothly, Smartmatic provided a host of support services, from warehousing to equipment configuration to training. The company also provided oversight during the readiness process and software enhancements to both solutions.
In the most recent elections, the local elections held in 2023, the Voter Verification Solution was deployed nationwide with 5,211 voter identification units (VIU). Additionally, voters across 401 voting centers in the municipalities of Elbasan, Kamëz, and Vorë cast a fully auditable electronic vote using the Smartmatic A4-517 touchscreen machines.
Technology
VIU-818 biometric voter authentication kit
This portable VIU biometric device is a powerful tool to facilitate crucial election day tasks such as voter authentication and polling station management. Designed to facilitate election deployments, the VIU-818 is fully integrated, tamperproof, and lightweight. It has a high-definition, 10-inch screen and prints confirmation slips from a built-in thermoprinter.
In Albania, each unit was equipped with Smartmatic’s proprietary software to help poll workers manage the election. They were also fitted with fingerprint reader and ABIS front-end & backend software.
The VIU confirms poll transactions, has redundant data storage, employs encryption, digital certificates and manages the data through digital signatures. The device utilized a single-slap fingerprint scanner for this deployment.
A4-517 electronic voting machine
The A4-517 tabletop touchscreen voting machine is activated via smartcard. The 17-inch capacitive LCD touchscreen delivers 1280×1024 resolution. It has an integrated 3-inch thermal printer for ballot receipts. The device confirms transactions, has redundant data storage, employs encryption, digital certificates and manages the data through digital signatures.
Scope
Services
In addition to technology, Smartmatic provided a complete suite of services to help authorities to successfully conduct the election.
- Project management
- Warehousing services, equipment-configuration services, onsite technical support
- Setup of primary and secondary data centers
- Logistics and field services
- Provision of thermal printer paper for ballot receipts, smartcards, modems, and communication devices
- Help Desk service for the national support center
- Recruitment and training of 500+ field technicians to support the voter authentication and electronic voting
- Assistance with voter education (2021)
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