Artificial Intelligence was applied in the vote counting in Tepelena/Celibashi: The testing was successful

2025-11-10 15:43:00, Aktualitet CNA

Artificial Intelligence was applied in the vote counting in Tepelena/Celibashi:

In the elections held the day before for mayor in Tepelena, the Central Election Commission also applied Artificial Intelligence in counting and evaluating ballots and issuing results.

In a statement, the head of the CEC, Ilirjan Celibashi, announced that the testing of Artificial Intelligence was carried out to see how useful the use of this innovation in the electoral process could be in the future.

The CEC announces that the testing was successful and met all expectations. It is also announced that the reading and then counting and evaluation of the ballots produced almost 100% the same result as that which emerged from the physical counting of the ballots.

FULL DECLARATION:

The counting of ballots for the elections for mayor of Tepelena was also carried out through Artificial Intelligence.

This method of counting ballots was not intended to replace the manual/physical method of counting as defined by the Electoral Code. However, based on the findings and recommendations of the OSCE/ODIHR Election Observation Mission 2025, the CEC must necessarily increase its supervisory role during the functioning of the vote counting teams, to avoid incorrect tabulations and the leakage of votes from one electoral subject to another.

The use of Artificial Intelligence was a technical test, through which we, as the Central Election Commission, wanted to see how useful the use of this innovation in the electoral process could be in the future, — in terms of the accuracy of counting and evaluating ballots, the transparency of this process, time efficiency, costs, and, ultimately, its integrity.

At the very least, we have seen the use of Artificial Intelligence in counting and evaluating ballots as a suitable tool for controlling the professionalism and honesty of counters and election commissioners.

The test was successful and met all our expectations.
The reading, and then the counting and evaluation of the ballots, was carried out with complete success using Artificial Intelligence.

The footage obtained during the manual counting and evaluation of ballots was read and analyzed in real time by computer software based on Artificial Intelligence.

Overall, the reading and analysis of these images produced almost 100% the same result as that which emerged from the physical counting of ballots.

Images of the front page of the ballot – the one containing the names of the candidates – were read with complete accuracy by the automated counting module, i.e. the Artificial Intelligence system.

Several inaccuracies were found in the reading of the back page of the ballot, the page where the places for its stamping are located.

In the future, achieving 100% accuracy in counting and evaluating ballots through the use of Artificial Intelligence will depend on the construction of several technical protocols, which must be respected by commissioners and counters when carrying out ballot counting and evaluation procedures.

Also, changes will first need to be made to the Electoral Code, so that the results produced through the use of this technology can be considered legally official. /CNA