TEHRAN – Alireza Barati, deputy Interior Minister for e-governance and IT, has said the interior ministry is ready to hold electronic voting in the forthcoming presidential election if the Guardian Council gives the go-head. 

“Electronic voting offers advantages such as speed, accuracy and precision and we are ready to use it in the upcoming presidential election provided that the Guardian Council approves it,” ISNA quoted Barati as saying on Monday.

There is an economic dimension to electronic voting as it remove the need to print ballots and count votes, the official added. 

“Of the 25 stages of every election, 23 are carried out using machines and electronic devices, and the only ballot casting and voting are carried out manually.” 

Barati added that machines were used in 14 polling stations in the previous parliamentary election. 

“The result of that election was announced immediately after the polls were closed,” he said.

Back in July, the Rouhani administration wrote to the Guardian Council proposing electronic voting be used in the next year’s elections. 

Iran plans to hold its upcoming presidential election in May 2017, when President Hassan Rouhani seeks a second term.

MH/AK