Should We Cast the Ballot Electronically?

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Should We Cast the Ballot Electronically?

With the advancement of technology in the United States today, many are drawn to the idea of making elections available electronically. Although the technology is available, it is important to consider if it is safe and reliable. Electronic voting could have many negative implications on our society if it isn’t completely safe. In this paper, I will explore why this is such an important issue, who is affected, and how and if our new technology integrated into our voting system.

This topic is extremely important to the future every citizen in the country. As Avi Rubin eloquently puts it, “These changes are approached so sensitively because a discrepancy in the election system threatens the principals that make our society free, which in turn, affects every aspect of thee way we live.” A switch to electronic voting would affect every citizen because it would be the means to which we elect public officials into office, and affects the way we have an impact on our country’s government. Aside from its success, electronic voting would affect differently those who have more access and knowledge of computers. This change in method may deter the poor or elderly from participating in unknown territory. This drop in voter turnout from certain demographics may be detrimental the idea of a representative government.

My research began with many optimist articles about how computers will simplify, correct, and accurately tally votes. In the optimistic article “How E-Voting Will Work,” Keven Bonsor advocated electronic polling place (using touch screen kiosks) by stating: “Everything is electronic, so in addition to the benefit of timeliness, there is also less concern over human error in th...

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...technological world, though it seems the sophistication of products can be balanced by sophistication of viruses or spying devices.

These risks far outweigh the possible benefits that electronic voting may offer society. The inconveniences and glitches of manual voting are minor compared to the amount of fraud and manipulation that will be opened up to anyone who has interest in manipulating elections. There are too many programs or viruses that could be used in stealing votes. As cryptographer and founder of Counterpane Internet Security Inc., Bruce Schneier, stated: “A secure Internet voting system is theoretically possible, but it would be the first secure networked application ever created in the history of computers.” I would only advocate using electronic voting if it was completely safe and was available equally to every citizen in the United States.

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