Roadmap Design and ToR Development for the E-Votare Platform – CEC

Client

Central Electoral Commission (CEC) of the Republic of Moldova

Project Duration

Q2 – Q3 2024

Context

The Central Electoral Commission (CEC) aimed to modernize Moldova’s electoral infrastructure by introducing a secure, transparent, and inclusive electronic voting (e-voting) platform, branded as E-Votare. This initiative was part of a broader e-Governance transformation strategy, supported by international development partners and aimed at enhancing trust, participation, and efficiency in electoral processes.

Project Objective

To develop a strategic roadmap and a detailed Terms of Reference (ToR) document for the procurement and implementation of the E-Votare platform, ensuring alignment with legal, technical, cybersecurity, and usability standards.

Key Goals

• Assess the current legal and institutional environment for e-voting in Moldova.
• Identify international best practices and e-voting frameworks.
• Define functional and non-functional requirements.
• Create a phased implementation roadmap (pilot → scale-up).
• Prepare a comprehensive ToR for vendor procurement.

Approach & Methodology

1. Stakeholder Consultations

   • Workshops with CEC, Ministry of Digitalization, IT security experts, and civil society.

   • In-depth interviews with electoral IT officers and legal experts.

2. Legal and Technical Assessment

   • Review of Moldova’s Electoral Code and related legislation.

   • Assessment of ICT infrastructure and cybersecurity frameworks.

3. Benchmarking

   • Comparative analysis of Estonia, Switzerland, and Lithuania’s e-voting systems.

   • Analysis of risks and success factors from previous e-voting projects.

4. Roadmap Design

   • Definition of implementation phases (e.g., feasibility → prototyping → pilot → audit → full deployment).

   • Risk mitigation plan and dependency mapping.

5. ToR Development

   • Drafting detailed ToR including:

     • Platform architecture

     • Accessibility requirements

     • Authentication mechanisms (e.g., eID, MPass)

     • Audit trail and verifiability

     • Security and data privacy

     • Scalability and modularity

Key Deliverables

• Roadmap Document: 3-phase implementation plan with key milestones and KPIs.

• Detailed ToR: A ~50-page document for international tendering aligned with EU procurement norms.

• Risk Matrix: Identification of legal, technical, and reputational risks with mitigation strategies.

• Stakeholder Presentation: Summary report for donor and government validation.

Challenges

• Legal Ambiguity: Moldova’s electoral laws required interpretation for e-voting eligibility and procedures.

• Cybersecurity Sensitivities: High concern around system integrity and public trust.

• Public Perception: Limited public exposure to e-voting mechanisms led to skepticism.

• Technology Neutrality: Ensuring the ToR did not bias procurement toward any vendor or stack.

Outcomes

• The Roadmap was endorsed by CEC and shared with Parliament’s ICT and Legal Committees.

• The ToR served as the foundation for an open international tender launched in late 2024.

• Moldova received favorable feedback from international observers for its transparent and inclusive planning process.

• The project reinforced CEC’s reputation as a digital transformation leader in the Eastern Partnership region.