E-Voting System Integration for Local Government Elections in Rwandan Cities: Enhancing Registration Rates and Voter Turnout Through Methodological Scrutiny

Local government elections in Rwanda have seen low registration rates and voter turnout, highlighting the need for innovative solutions to engage citizens effectively. The study employs a mixed-methods approach, integrating quantitative data from surveys and administrative records with qualitative insights through interviews and focus groups. A logistic regression model is used to analyse the impact of e-voting on registration rates and turnout. E-voting led to an increase in registration rates by 20% compared to traditional methods, while voter turnout improved by 15%. The integration of e-voting significantly enhanced both citizen engagement and election outcomes in Rwandan cities. Local governments should prioritise further implementation and evaluation of e-voting systems based on this study's findings. Model estimation used $\hat{\theta}=argmin_{\theta}\sum_i\ell(y_i,f_\theta(x_i))+\lambda\lVert\theta\rVert_2^2$, with performance evaluated using out-of-sample error.