Decision science: a multi-criteria decision framework for enhancing an electoral voting system

Abstract

The deployment of effective and efficient information and communication technologies (ICTs) remains a major priority for the smooth running of electoral management systems worldwide. To guarantee the integrity of the electoral voting process and ensure the reliability of the electoral results, selecting the correct vendor with the requisite expertise is a key success factor that cannot be ignored. This paper proposes a framework for selecting a vendor to offer support and implementation services using the Voting Solutions for All People (VSAP) programme as a case study. Our proposed framework uses a hybrid multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) methodology comprising the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) and technique for order of preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS). Consistency tests and sensitivity analysis are carried out to check the quality of the expert’s inputs and the robustness of our approach respectively. Our work offers a better understanding of the role a hybrid AHP-TOPSIS method plays in selecting a suitable vendor to play an effective role in enhancing the voter system’s credibility in a democratic process. Again, the study extends the application of MCDM methods to areas such as supplier selection for electoral voting systems. © 2021 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.