At the meeting of the Standing Committee on Innovation and Digital Policy of the State Great Khural on January 14, 2025, the Director of the General Election Commission, the Director of the National Data Center, and the Director of the “E-Mongolia Academy” State owned Enterprise, presented detailed reports regarding the provision of access to the "E-Mongolia" system for Mongolian citizens residing abroad, as well as ensuring their right to participate in elections electronically.
According to a joint study conducted by the National Statistics Office and the UN Migration Agency, the number of Mongolian citizens living abroad was 113,789 as recorded in the 2020 Population and Housing Census. By 2024, the number of citizens living abroad who are eligible to vote had increased to 187,000.
While these citizens have the option to exercise their voting rights by submitting requests to Mongolian embassies in their respective countries, not all citizens are currently able to fully participate in the elections.
During the meeting, Mr. B. Myagmarnaran, Director of the “E-Mongolia Academy,” presented a comprehensive overview of ongoing efforts to improve the accessibility of the E-Mongolia system for citizens living abroad. He highlighted that, as of now, 87 organizations are offering 1,263 services through the platform, with approximately 7 million accesses from overseas in the past month. The system offers three types of access, including internet banking and registered phone numbers. Mr. Myagmarnaran emphasized that utilizing a digital signature for accessing the system is considered the most efficient and secure method.
Mr. M. Battulga, Director of the National Data Center, also provided pertinent information regarding the matter under discussion. He explained that, as of today, 816 types of state services are available to Mongolian citizens residing abroad. Since 2018, a one-time code has been sent to registered phone numbers to authenticate users. In 2020, access via bank credentials and digital signatures was introduced, and in 2024, significant improvements were made to the system’s infrastructure and architecture. This year, the system is transitioning from a web-based platform to an app-based solution, incorporating several new features to better serve and authenticate Mongolian citizens abroad.
The meeting concluded with a recognition of the critical need to establish a robust legal framework for conducting electronic voting for Mongolian citizens abroad. A dedicated working group has been established to address important issues such as the participation of citizens with legal conflicts abroad, and to conduct a thorough evaluation of the necessary technological, security, and infrastructural requirements to ensure the successful implementation of this initiative.
