Stemapparaten

Stemapparaten are devices used to record votes in elections and referenda. They can be electronic or mechanical and are designed to capture voter selections privately and to facilitate rapid tallying and result reporting. In Dutch-speaking contexts the term typically refers to electronic voting machines and associated ballot-marking devices that are used at polling stations.

Common forms include direct-recording electronic machines (DREs), which store votes in internal memory, and ballot-marking devices (BMDs), which generate a paper ballot that the voter reviews before submission. Optical scan systems are another widely used category, where voters mark a paper ballot that is scanned by a machine to count votes.

Operation generally involves the elector selecting candidates or options through a user interface, after which the machine records the choice and, in many designs, prints or marks a receipt or a paper record. At the end of voting, results are stored locally and transmitted to central election authorities, sometimes together with a paper audit trail.

Security and reliability concerns have driven the development of safeguards such as independent audits, software verification, cryptographic protections, and risk-limiting audits. Many jurisdictions require a verifiable paper trail that allows independent hand counts or spot checks.

Critics point to potential vulnerabilities in software, hardware failures, or deliberate tampering, as well as higher costs and maintenance demands compared with paper-based systems. Proponents argue that, with proper controls, stemapparaten can improve accessibility, speed, and accuracy of elections.

See also: electronic voting, direct-recording electronic, ballot-marking device, risk-limiting audit, paper audit trail.