Trump, paper ballots and the quantum computer: CEC head speaks on online voting

Tengrinews.kz — Kazakhstan is not yet ready to transition to online voting. Nurlan Abdirov, Chairman of the Central Election Commission (CEC), stated that such technologies can only be implemented if they are secure and enjoy high public trust.
At a CEC briefing, Abdirov was asked whether Kazakhstan plans to introduce online voting in the future.

"We will not do anything that could damage the integrity of the voting process," emphasized CEC Head Nurlan Abdirov.

According to him, approximately 40 countries worldwide have used various forms of electronic voting at different times—both at polling stations and remotely. However, a number of states abandoned such technologies following experiments and pilot projects.
Abdirov cited Austria, Germany, Poland, Norway, and South Korea as examples. He noted that during foreign trips, he inquired why some countries continue to use paper ballots despite their high level of technological development.

"They say there is no societal consensus on this issue," the CEC Chairman explained.

"Split roughly down the middle"
According to Abdirov, there is no consensus among Kazakhstanis regarding electronic voting either. During his four years at the CEC, he has discussed the matter at regional meetings attended by a total of more than eight thousand people.
The CEC head emphasized that these polls cannot be considered full-scale sociological research. However, based on his observations, supporters and opponents of electronic voting are divided roughly equally.

"It’s about fifty-fifty between those for and against. They cite a lack of trust and concerns about cybersecurity," Abdirov noted.

Where Trump comes in
As a further argument, Abdirov cited the position of US President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly criticized the use of electronic voting machines and advocated for paper ballots. Trump has specifically expressed his intention to seek the elimination of voting machines.

"I also want to refer to an interesting, very recent statement by the President of the United States, where he speaks in great detail about the reliability of American electronic machines. You can look at other speeches by that country's president, where he says it is difficult, but the most reliable method is paper ballots," the Kazakh CEC head noted.

He also added that paper voting is significantly cheaper than electronic voting.

"Paper ballots are the most reliable, and yet they cost only nine percent of the price of voting via electronic machines," Abdirov said.

He also recalled a conversation with a foreign expert that took place after the republican referendum on June 5, 2022. According to Abdirov, he was then given three key conditions for implementing electronic voting: ensuring cybersecurity, a high degree of trust in the system, and a readiness for significant expenditures.
In conclusion, the CEC head recounted a conversation with representatives of one of the world's wealthiest nations, who, he said, are also in no hurry to abandon traditional voting.

"They say we might consider electronic voting when a quantum computer emerges in the world," Nurlan Abdirov summarized.

As a reminder: Kurultai elections will be held in Kazakhstan on August 23. The CEC previously announced when Kazakhstanis will begin receiving important notifications regarding the upcoming election of Kurultai deputies—via eGov Mobile, banking apps, and SMS.