It has been possible to vote online in Estonia's elections since 2005, but only using a computer, not a smart device, such as a mobile phone.

National Electoral Committee Chair Ingrid Kullerkann said in a statement issued Thursday that most members now find the risks "sufficiently mitigated" to allow voters to use smart devices when voting.

"Based on my current knowledge, voting using mobile devices does not involve greater risks than voting using a computer. Therefore, the time is ripe to take the next leap in the development of Estonia's digital state and enable voting on smart devices," she added.

Kullerkann cited "accessibility and crisis resilience of elections" as some of the reasons behind the development.

"It is possible to vote online even if a situation similar to the January 2005 storm should occur during the elections, if it is not advisable to leave home because of a drone warning, or if you live in a part of Estonia where the nearest polling station is several dozen kilometers away. Everyone who wants to vote should be able to do so," she explained.

A voting app will now be developed for smart devices running both iOS and Android operating systems. It will be available for download from the Google Play and Apple's App Store.

The electronic vote verification app will also be available from app stores and will allow voters to confirm that their vote has reached the electronic ballot box and correctly reflects their choice.

Head of the State Electoral Office Arne Koitmäe said: "The addition of new operating systems does not change the electronic voting system, but expands the number of devices from which people can cast their electronic votes."

E-voting is one of the most thoroughly audited and monitored systems in Estonia, undergoing load, recovery and security testing every year, he added.

"Every voter is free to choose whether they wish to vote on paper or electronically using a computer or mobile phone. All votes are securely protected and carry equal weight when the votes are counted," Koitmäe said.

The Riigikogu green-lit voting on smart devices in 2024.

In 2025, the State Electoral Office and the Information System Authority conducted a public test of electronic voting using smart devices, during which the casting, transmission, and receipt of votes were tested. The test found the application to be reliable and received positive feedback from users.

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