News item | 07-03-2024 | 10:32
The election results software bill by Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations Hugo de Jonge was today adopted as a hammer document by the House of Representatives. This bill stipulates that the Electoral Council will soon be responsible for the management and security of the software used to support the calculation and determination of election results. The use of the software made available by the Electoral Council will also be mandatory. Defining the responsibilities and requirements surrounding the results software contributes to a reliable and efficient determination of the election results.
Minister De Jonge: ‘The Dutch election process is robust and reliable. There should be no doubt about the quality of the election process and the reliability of the election results. That is why the election process requires continuous attention and maintenance where necessary. In order to monitor and promote this reliability and quality, we will further strengthen the role of the Electoral Council in the election process. This bill is an important step in the development of the Electoral Council into an ‘election authority.’
The Electoral Council, the municipalities that provide the ICT facilities and those who enter the results into the software are given clear responsibilities and authorities in the bill for the management, connection and use of the software. The Electoral Council will therefore be responsible for the availability, reliable operation and security of the results software. The municipalities themselves are currently responsible for installing and managing the software. With the introduction of the bill, the Electoral Council, as administrator, can draw up regulations for the connection and use and the Electoral Council can ensure compliance with those regulations.
The next step is to discuss the bill in the Senate. Depending on that treatment, the bill is planned to come into effect on January 1, 2025.
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