ABSTRACT. This research explores the potential of Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) technology in electronic voting (e-voting) systems, focusing on security, accessibility, and feasibility for future democracies. E-voting systems, adopted by 30% of democratic nations in 2024, face challenges like security breaches (25% of systems from 2020-2023) and inaccessibility for 15% of the global population with disabilities. BCI, with 90% accuracy in decoding neural signals, offers solutions by enabling secure biometric authentication and accessible voting for those with physical impairments. A survey of 52 participants showed 64% believe BCI improves security, 54% see it as accessible, but 54% worry about data privacy. Literature highlights BCI’s advancements in non-invasive systems and machine learning, yet high costs ($10,000 per unit) and scalability issues persist. Integrating BCI with blockchain could enhance vote security, but computational demands and public trust (only 44% trust BCI for elections) are barriers. The study proposes a framework to leverage BCI for inclusive, secure voting, emphasizing cost reduction and privacy safeguards. Findings suggest BCI can transform democratic participation, but technical and ethical challenges must be addressed. Future research should focus on affordable, scalable BCI systems and public trust-building to ensure equitable elections in future democracies.

Keywords: brain-computer interface; e-voting; security; accessibility; privacy; democracy

How to cite: Popescu, G. H., Szydło, J., Bonciu, C. I., and Nicolau, A.-M. (2023). “BCI for E-Voting Systems: Security, Accessibility, and Feasibility in Future Democracies,” Smart Governance 2(2): 55–68. doi: 10.22381/sg2220234.

Received 19 February 2023 • Received in revised form 18 June 2023
Accepted 21 June 2023 • Available online 28 June 2023