REPUBLIQUE
ET CANTON
DE GENEVE

 

Ge.ch > Thèmes > Citoyenneté > Votations - Elections > Votations > E-Voting > FAQ

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

1. Political rights
2. Organisation of polling
3. Internet voting
4. Online voting is so simple
5. Frequent problems
6. Checking the voting site certificate
7. I have voted but I would still like to know...
8. Data protection
9. I would also like to know

4. Online voting is so simple

Which operating systems and browsers work with the online voting application?

There are many operating systems and even more internet browsers and there are more than a hundred operating system/browser combinations. No website can be optimised to accommodate all these combinations, particularly if it is a site with complex functionalities such as the online voting site.

We have taken the systems most frequently used by visitors of the State of Geneva website as a basis and have designed the online voting application in such a way that it works with these systems, which represent 90% to 95% of visits received by the State of Geneva web site.

We recommend the following browsers:

• For Windows 2000/XP/Vista/Seven: a recent version of Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome, Safari or Opera
• For Mac OS X: a recent version of Safari, Firefox, Chrome or Opera
• For Linux (with Java Sun): a recent version of Firefox or Chrome

Other configurations may enable you to vote online but we cannot guarantee it or offer you help from the helpdesk (ael-assistance@etat.ge.ch or +41 (0) 840 235 235, from Monday to Friday, from 8am to 6pm Swiss time) if you encounter difficulties.

In all cases you must have installed the latest version of Java in order to vote online. If this is not the case, follow the instructions given when you first connect to the voting site.

How do you vote online?

1) Get your voting card ready and launch your internet browser. If you were already connected to the internet, close your browser and relaunch it.

2) Enter the address https://www.evote-ch.ch/ge and choose the language in which you wish to vote. Whatever your choice, the questions relating to cantonal popular votes will only be displayed in French, which is the official language of the canton of Geneva.

When entering the voting site address, do not forget the "S" of httpS, which enables a secure connection to be established between your computer and the State of Geneva servers.

3) Enter your voting card number and click "Continue".

4) Answer "yes" to the reminder about criminal penalties. This is equivalent to signing your voting card for a postal vote or ballot box vote.

5) Complete the ballot paper.

You can correct your votes by clicking in the box left blank (the completed box is automatically erased) or erase your choice by clicking again in the activated box. A blank ballot paper is possible. (The illustration below is an example and does not depict a current or future ballot).

Click "Continue".

6) Check the control code

After you have clicked "Continue", the system gives you a summary of your choices. Check that the control code that appears in the background of your answers is identical to the code shown on your voting card. The identity of these codes confirms that you are really voting on the official site of the State of Geneva.

Should the codes not be identical, end the voting procedure and contact the helpdesk as soon as possible (ael-assistance@etat.ge.ch or +41 (0) 840 235 235, from Monday to Friday, from 8am to 6pm Swiss time).

7) Validate your vote by inserting your password and your date of birth and by selecting your municipality of origin in the pull-down list proposed. If you are unsure of your municipality of origin you will find it on your identity card and in your passport.

Note: our system can only manage one municipality of origin per voter but you may have more than one. If one of your municipalities of origin is in the canton of Geneva it is this one that you will find in the pull-down list.

If you were not born in Geneva but now live there, it is the municipality shown on the document of origin that you presented to the Cantonal Population Office that you will find in the pull-down list.

After five unsuccessful attempts to validate your vote, you can no longer vote online.

8) Vote!

9) Empty your browser's cache in order to erase all traces from your computer.

• For Internet Explorer, go to "Tools" ? "Internet options" ("General" tab) and click on "Delete files" or "Delete browsing history"
• For Firefox, depending on the version you use, go to "Tools" ? "Privacy" or "Clear my tracks" or "Delete recent history" and select the cache
• For Safari, go to "Edit" ? "Empty the cache..."
• For Chrome, go to "Tools" ? "Delete browser data..." and select the cache
• For Opera, go to "Tools" ? "Delete private data...", click on "Detailed options" and select the cache

Last updated: January 2012