stemapparaat

Stemapparaat refers to a device used to record votes in elections, typically electronic or mechanical, operated at polling stations to cast ballots. It is designed to translate a voter's selections into an electronic record or a printed form that can be tallied.

Function and operation: In electronic systems, voters interact with an interface such as a touchscreen or physical buttons to select candidates or options. The device stores the vote in nonvolatile memory and, in many designs, generates a paper record (a voter-verifiable paper audit trail) that the voter can review and that can be used for audits. Some stemapparaat are direct-recording electronic (DRE) machines; others are ballot-marking devices that produce a printed ballot scanned by a separate tally system.

Variants and accessibility: Systems include direct-recording machines, optical scan systems with paper ballots, and ballot-marking devices used to assist voters with disabilities. Some devices provide accessibility features such as audio prompts, large text, or multilingual interfaces to improve usability for a broad electorate.

History and usage: Stemapparaat emerged with growing use of electronic counting in the late 20th century. They have been adopted in various jurisdictions for efficiency and accessibility, but have faced criticism related to security, verifiability, and potential failures. In response, many places have moved toward paper-based systems or hybrid approaches with auditable paper trails.

Security and governance: Critics point to risks such as software bugs, hacking, and tampering. Proponents argue that with robust certification, code reviews, and independent audits (including risk-limiting audits), stemapparaat can be reliable. Standards and certification bodies exist to test hardware and software before deployment.

See also: Electronic voting, Direct-recording electronic, Voter-verifiable paper audit trail, Ballot scanning.