I have a very practical question with big political implications: Can electronic passports be used to make large-scale elections without government involvement?
I am thinking of authoritarian countries that issue modern e-passports but do not allow free elections. Can activists organize an election for all citizens of that country in some online form, asking the voters to scan their passports using their phones, so that
- only legitimate citizens (who have passports) can vote
- votes remain anonymous
- everybody can vote only once
- the whole election can be audited
I am thinking of authoritarian countries that issue modern e-passports but do not allow free elections. Can activists organize an election for all citizens of that country in some online form, asking the voters to scan their passports using their phones, so that
- only legitimate citizens (who have passports) can vote - votes remain anonymous - everybody can vote only once - the whole election can be audited