FROM THE BLESSED BALLOT BOX

In the political folklore of Minas Gerais, the story of three things is told that you only know the result after opening: mining, woman's belly in childbirth and ballot box. The last one was an intense and extensive theme in the last presidential elections in Brazil. The electoral system as a whole was put in check. Now let's wait for the results and then the heated discussions about the reliability of electronic voting machines can be opened again. On the other hand, it is a relief to know, for both candidates and voters, relatively quickly, the results. At this point, the Brazilian electoral system can be considered advanced.

The absolute majority of countries adopt a different electoral system from Brazil. And often they are mixed systems, such as that of the United States, which even takes into account the differences between states. Just remember the dispute between George W. Bush and Al Gore. The votes counted one by one in Florida. Or the contestation of the penultimate elections, Trump-Biden. And the eternal discussion about the postal vote.

Many countries, such as the USA, India, France, unlike Bhutan, Bangladesh, El Salvador and Brazil, use mixed systems. The most advanced system is that of Estonia, internet voting, i-voting. There is no polling station, you vote from your cell phone. And so far no one has complained. Perhaps it is worth remembering the words of the Russian dictator Stalin, who said that it doesn't matter who votes, but who counts the votes.

Protests and accusations of election fraud always start from losers. The last elections in Venezuela, with Maduro elected, have been all things you can imagine as honest elections. An anti-opposition system was set up, whose end result in the elections was the general challenge of the electoral mode. The opposition showed that the vote count was manipulated so rudely and shamefully, regardless of the polls, which are a physical part of the electoral system. Electronic ballot box or not, a system that is corrupt manipulates the elections.

Elections are always very observed by diplomats and intelligence services. International observers also come. In the case of Venezuela, it was the US Carter Center that raised the fraud. They, as well as observers from the OAS, EU, Mercosur and even the Arab League. By the way, seeing how the democracies are doing there, it must be very interesting to know what they will observe.

But Artificial Intelligence is entering our lives. When it also enters the vote count, there is a question that is part of the answer, since it has already entered with full force in the electoral polls and campaigns. Blessed ballot box, lapidary stone of democracy, take care of yourself.