The numbers tell a fascinating story. The Kyrgyz Republic has a population of 5 million, and has had 30 Prime Ministers, 5 Presidents, 2 bloody revolutions, and 1 civil war in the southern Osh region since 1991. The government is understandably keen to better engage citizens – perhaps something of an understatement. Technology is seen as the answer for a nation that wants to be a hub on the Digital Silk Road, and it’s using tech to cut corruption, include different viewpoints and increase participation in elections.
This year, the government announced its Taza-Koom vision (translated as “pure society”). This is a national project to cut corruption through automation of processes, open data, and use electronic systems to cut voter fraud.
The State Registration Service has developed an electronic voting platform that enables quick registration through fingerprint and facial recognition, with online vote counting created to cut the risk of rigged ballots. The system was tested in the municipal elections, and then again in the parliamentary and the 2017 presidential elections.
Full Article: Why Kyrgyzstan uses biometrics in its voting system | GovInsider.
