전자투표제도는 오늘날의 발전된 과학기술을 선거에 활용하는 것으로서 그 신속성과 편리성으로 인하여 각 국가가 이미 채용하고 있거나 채용을 검토하고 있는 제도이다. 이러한 전자투표제가 헌법에 합치되기 위해서는 헌법이 선거제도에 대하여 요청하는 기본원리를 충족해야만 한다. 독일 연방헌법재판소는 최근 전자투표기기의 사용을 규정하고 있는 법규명령에 대하여 위헌결정을 선고하였다. 위헌결정의 주요 논거는 당해 법규명령이 선거권자에 의한 전자투표의 검증가능성을 규정하지 않고 있다는 것이다. 이와 같은 독일 연방헌법재판소의 위헌결정은 전자투표제의 도입을 예정하고 있는 우리 공직선거법 규정의 합헌성을 검토하는데 많은 시사점을 던져 주고 있다. 독일 연방헌법재판소의 위헌결정을 참고로 하여 전자투표제와 관련한 우리 법제를 검토해 볼 때 우리의 법제는 독일과 달리 헌법적합성을 구비하고 있다고 판단된다. 다만 우리의 법제가 보다 헌법적합성을 갖추기 위해서는 보완해야 할 점이 존재한다.

The E-Voting system that is applied to the election has been chosen or is under consideration by many countries due to its rapidity and convenience. In order to be constitutional this E-Voting system meets the constitutional requirements. The German Federal Constitutional Court lately decided that the Federal Voting Machines ordinance is unconstitutional because it does not ensure that only such voting machines are permitted and used which meet the constitutional requirements of the principle of the public nature of elections. It also decided that the computer-controlled voting machines used in the election of the 16th German Bundestag did not meet the requirements which the constitution places on the use of electronic voting machines. However it decided that this does not result in the dissolution of the Bundestag for lack of any indications that voting machines malfunctioned or could have been manipulated. This German Federal Constitutional Court`s unconstitutional decision is full of suggestions in examining the constitutionality of the Election Act closely. As we examine our legislations of the E-Voting through the German Federal Constitutional Court`s unconstitutional decision, it comes to a conclusion that our legislations have the constitutionality unlike those of Germany. However they need to be supplemented in order to satisfy more constitutionality.

The E-Voting system that is applied to the election has been chosen or is under consideration by many countries due to its rapidity and convenience. In order to be constitutional this E-Voting system meets the constitutional requirements. The German Federal Constitutional Court lately decided that the Federal Voting Machines ordinance is unconstitutional because it does not ensure that only such voting machines are permitted and used which meet the constitutional requirements of the principle of the public nature of elections. It also decided that the computer-controlled voting machines used in the election of the 16th German Bundestag did not meet the requirements which the constitution places on the use of electronic voting machines. However it decided that this does not result in the dissolution of the Bundestag for lack of any indications that voting machines malfunctioned or could have been manipulated. This German Federal Constitutional Court`s unconstitutional decision is full of suggestions in examining the constitutionality of the Election Act closely. As we examine our legislations of the E-Voting through the German Federal Constitutional Court`s unconstitutional decision, it comes to a conclusion that our legislations have the constitutionality unlike those of Germany. However they need to be supplemented in order to satisfy more constitutionality.

E-Voting system, constitutional requirements, constitutionality, unconstitutional decision, Federal Voting Machines ordinance.