Companies from Brazil and Panama would be interested in endorsing the audit of CNE computer systems

A report from the Comptroller’s Office revealed flaws in the systems used by the electoral body.

Bureau Veritas (Brazil) and Riscco (Panama) are the companies that would be interested in endorsing the audit of the voting and results counting computer system of the National Electoral Council (CNE), carried out by the State Comptroller General’s Office.

These two companies would be the only ones that showed interest out of a total of seven, after the search that the electoral body undertook to comply with the law.

The reforms to the Democracy Code, in force since February 3, included three transitory provisions in which the CNE was ordered to carry out audits of the Electoral Registry or census and its purification; to the signature validation system for the legalization of political parties and movements, and to the computerized system for counting votes and results.

The first two audits were to be carried out until last June, and the third until August.

In its audit, the Comptroller’s Office revealed flaws in the systems used by the electoral body to carry out these activities. The exam covered the period from September 1, 2018 to February 2020, and was passed on August 21.

For example, in the electoral roll it was detected that the deceased, foreigners who did not comply with the requirement of residing for five years in the country to be able to vote, or others with enforceable judicial sentences were included.

Meanwhile, in the signature verification system to register political organizations, 17.073 records accepted as adherents with invalid identity cards were evidenced; repeated signatures, 128 people were considered as adherents, but who were dead, 747 minors under 16 years of age, and 199 members of the National Police and the Armed Forces.

With this precedent and in accordance with the Democracy Code, only the audit of the vote and results counting system must be endorsed by a recognized international body and its results published on the electoral institution’s website.

The approximate costs to cover this procedure are around USD 80.000 (Bureau Veritas) and USD 69.000 (Riscco).

The president of the CNE, Diana Atamaint, indicated that the resources needed for this task were included in the Electoral Operating Budget (POE) of USD 114.3 million that the entity approved for the 2021 elections.

Only for technological innovation, the amount that would be required is USD 16’441.890.