VI. THE FUTURE: SMART CARDS

  47.  These initial proposals will go a long way to addressing the concerns of the Government and of democratic society in Northern Ireland that the electoral system is subject to abuse. These changes, wrought by the Government, implemented by the Chief Electoral Officer, encouraged by the parties and adopted by the electorate, will help eliminate the remaining opportunities and incentives for electoral abuse.

  48.  Nevertheless, the Government recognises the potential advantages that new technologies may bring. There is the possibility of a comprehensive and secure electoral identity system. With such a system, there would be absolute safeguards against anyone registering more than once without the knowledge of the Electoral Office. More importantly, it could become virtually impossible to vote more than once. As soon as a voter had been issued a postal or proxy vote, or had voted in person, any subsequent attempt to vote would meet with rejection. Current and future IT would make this possible.

  49.  The ultimate aim is for every voter to be issued with an Electoral smart card, bearing a unique identifier. The voter would present this card at the polling station and it would be accepted or rejected automatically. The card could also be used for registering a vote. When the vote has been cast, the voter's name on a central database, and perhaps on the card itself, would be marked so that if the card is presented a second time the machine knows to reject it.

  50.  To ensure the effectiveness of such a system, the Government believes that biometric data would need to be incorporated into a universal electoral identity card—perhaps a finger-print or hand-geometry scan. Since every biometric measure is unique to the individual, it would be possible to provide every voter with a single, unique and instantly accessible identifier. The polling station would include a biometric reader that would identify the voter and indicate whether he or she is entitled to vote. Identification of voters at the ballot box would not therefore rely upon the presiding officer or polling agents, subject as they are to human infirmities and, in extreme cases, the threat of violence. It would rather be automated and final in its judgement.

  51.  These are aspirations for the future. Technologies change so rapidly that it is impossible to predict what will be the best route forward or what the timing for a more ambitious project of this kind might be. Such a comprehensive system would need to be wholly secure and restricted to the purposes of electoral administration. The Government will give further consideration to when it might be possible to initiate such a secure electoral identity scheme.