This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/europe/6416591.stm
The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Estonians head to the ballot box | Estonians head to the ballot box |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Estonian voters head to the polls on Sunday to vote in the 11th parliamentary elections since the country gained independence in 1991. | Estonian voters head to the polls on Sunday to vote in the 11th parliamentary elections since the country gained independence in 1991. |
| For the first time in a parliamentary election anywhere in the world, most people have been able to vote online. | For the first time in a parliamentary election anywhere in the world, most people have been able to vote online. |
| Some 30,000 out of 900,000 eligible voters chose this option, though e-ballots had to be cast at least three days ahead of the election day. | Some 30,000 out of 900,000 eligible voters chose this option, though e-ballots had to be cast at least three days ahead of the election day. |
| Polls suggest incumbent PM Andrus Ansip's coalition is likely to win. | Polls suggest incumbent PM Andrus Ansip's coalition is likely to win. |
| Voting in polling stations is due to begin at 0900 (0700 GMT). | |
| Take-up for the electronic vote option was higher than expected, election officials say. | Take-up for the electronic vote option was higher than expected, election officials say. |
| But those who have already cast an e-ballot can still turn up to cast a paper one if they have changed their mind in the interim, or are worried about the security of the online vote - and their paper ballot will invalidate the computer one. | But those who have already cast an e-ballot can still turn up to cast a paper one if they have changed their mind in the interim, or are worried about the security of the online vote - and their paper ballot will invalidate the computer one. |
| Taxation issue | Taxation issue |
| The groundbreaking online election system takes advantage of the fact that nearly 90% of Estonians carry a computer-readable identity card - which they were able to use to log in to the secure online voting website. | The groundbreaking online election system takes advantage of the fact that nearly 90% of Estonians carry a computer-readable identity card - which they were able to use to log in to the secure online voting website. |
| E-voting systems, in which people use online machines in polling stations or register to get an e-vote password, have been tried on a smaller scale in many European countries, including in some local elections in the UK and Ireland. | E-voting systems, in which people use online machines in polling stations or register to get an e-vote password, have been tried on a smaller scale in many European countries, including in some local elections in the UK and Ireland. |
| Most of Estonia's political parties have campaigned on the country's rapid economic growth and their plans for taxation and polls suggest that the current ruling coalition will be returned to power. | Most of Estonia's political parties have campaigned on the country's rapid economic growth and their plans for taxation and polls suggest that the current ruling coalition will be returned to power. |
| However, the BBC's Laura Sheeter says that with the two leading parties in that coalition taking opposing views on many issues - if they do win, the next government could look very different, depending on which of them holds the balance of power. | However, the BBC's Laura Sheeter says that with the two leading parties in that coalition taking opposing views on many issues - if they do win, the next government could look very different, depending on which of them holds the balance of power. |