E-Voting: Technical Challenges of Digital Democracy – A Practical Look at Cryptography, Trust, and the Future of Voting with Dr. Eric Dubuis.
E-voting promises simple and location-independent voting – yet ensuring ballot secrecy and verifiable results remains one of the biggest technical and organizational challenges of digital democracy. The requirements in Switzerland are considered particularly strict on an international level. Pilot projects in Geneva and Zurich demonstrate how sensitive the topic is and that only a careful, step-by-step approach builds trust.
In the MINT’talk, we explain in a practical way how modern cryptographic methods such as
homomorphic encryption,
Zero-Knowledge Proofs, or
mix networks solve key conflicts that push classical IT approaches to their limits.
Speaker
Dr. Eric Dubuis – Computer scientist and researcher, long-time professor at the Bern University of Applied Sciences (1993–2021). Specialist in verifiable e-voting, founding member of the Swiss E-Voting Competence Center and member of international expert committees (VoteID & EVOTE). Since his retirement, he continues to teach in the field of medical informatics and actively researches secure e-voting systems.
Organizational Details
• Date: Monday, October 20, 2025
• Time: 17:00–18:00, followed by aperitif & networking
• Location: Glue AG, Schwarztorstrasse 31, 3007 Bern
• Language: German
• Participation: Free, limited seats on-site (no online transmission)
• Registration: Please register by October 18, 2025
Register now for the E-Voting MINT’talk
Who benefits from the MINT’talk?
The talk provides practical insights into how e-voting works, which cryptographic methods are used, and the technical as well as organizational challenges involved. It is aimed at professionals in STEM fields but also offers fascinating insights for anyone interested in digital voting, secure IT systems, and modern electoral processes.
Useful Links – E-Voting Switzerland:
• Ordinance on Electronic Voting (VEleS) — Fedlex
• E-Voting — ch.ch (Overview for Voters)
• E-Voting — Swiss Post (Systems & Pilot Projects)
• Chronology of E-Voting — Federal Chancellery
• Pilot Projects Geneva (CHVote / Geneva) and Pilot Projects Canton of Zurich — zh.ch
MINT’talks: Learn more about the after-work event series
(*MINT = Mathematics, Informatics, Natural Sciences & Technology)