This paper draws attention to the need of a systematic socio-technical approach to introducing electronic voting and presents early results from a pilot project conducted by the Provincia Autonoma di Trento, Italy. Main features of this experience are the constant monitoring of the social impact and the development of a technological solution in accordance to the suggestions provided by the users themselves. We recommend that no sudden switch to a new form of ballot should be imposed on

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... but rather that research is to be fostered in order to uncover and preserve the traditional and symbolic connotations embedded in the act of voting.