Voters usually exercise their right to vote by casting their vote at a traditional polling station on a voting day. However, in recent years, both in the world and in Slovenia, other methods of voting have also been on the rise, that being special voting methods.
In addition to voting at a traditional polling station, the Slovenian legislative framework also allows for voting by mail, voting from abroad by mail, voting at an embassy or consulate, mobile voting and voting at an OMNIA polling station. Some of these methods are available to all voters, while others are only available to certain categories of voters. People with a disability present a category that has a particularly wide range of options for casting their vote - voting at the polling station, voting by mail and mobile voting.
Proponents of the introduction of more accessible forms of voting by mail often state that the introduction of such a method of voting will help increasing voter turnout and at the same time reduce the costs of conducting elections. However, analysis do not support this claim. The introduction of more accessible forms of voting by mail does not significantly contribute to an increase in voter turnout in the long run. The latter is mainly influenced by the competitiveness of elections and the degree of mobilization of eligible voters.
The introduction of special voting methods also brings dangers to the fairness of the electoral process. The principle of free suffrage and the secrecy of voting are particularly at risk. This is precisely why the legislator must provide adequate protection mechanisms against violations of electoral principles and electoral fraud.
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