Internet Voting: You Got A Problem With It?

[Ornery]

Gee, I don't know what brought this to my mind, but I've been thinking about it for some reason

IMO, the sooner we get this working, the better.

Election Center's Internet Voting page.

 

New #1 target for hackers, perhaps??

 

[NFS4]

Hackers will have a field day.

 

[Viper GTS]

The election's integrity wouldn't last 5 minutes from when they opened the polls.

Viper GTS

 

[Pretender]

Not gonna happen anytime soon. There are too many ways this could go wrong.

 

[Phaedruss]

Looks like I've found my multi-million dollar business idea. Better get to work.

 

[Balt]

Even if it could be made unhackable (which I'm sure it couldn't), I don't want people who don't care enough to get off their a$$ to vote (or request an absentee ballot) dictating our nation's future.

Granted, it would be nice for the disabled and elderly (and people who have very little time), but that is why we have absentee ballots.

 

[Ornery]

It WILL happen, just a matter of when. I'm hearing a time frame of about 10 years. All the problems faced by on-line voting have parallel problems in the "paper ballet" system. Hmmmm, now that I think about it, I voted via an electronic voting machine the last two years. Prior to that, we used the 900 lb. behemoths. I believe there was a reluctance to switch to these new machines too. Probably the same ilk that are worrying about on-line voting...

One other thing I'd like to see become reality is a totally cashless system. That may take longer, but is doable now. Again, the sooner the better!

 

That kind of security is going to take time. Information over the internet passes through so many possible places where it can be tampered with or even totally blocked. The internet right now is private, whereas ballot elections are run by the government. How could the government be able to make sure that your ISP isn't filtering out all the Gore votes?

 

[Dameon]

I think by the time they have succeeded in verifying my identity on the net, they have violated my right to privacy and secret ballot

 

[DefRef]

BINGO Daemon!!!!

1. It would be hack city.
2. The poor, technophobic and those without PCs would be left out.
3. Most importantly, without a PHYSICAL record of the votes, they can say ANYTHING happened and who could dispute them. Don't believe that? Try this:

Who would be able to cast doubt on the "lone gunman" theory in the JFK hit if it weren't for the Zapruder film? If it weren't for those few seconds of 8mm film, Oswald would've been the only explanation given and no one would be the wiser. Think about it....

 

[Russ]

<< All the problems faced by on-line voting have parallel problems in the &quot;paper ballet&quot; system. >>



No, not all the problems. What is to prevent a campaign from setting up a &quot;boiler room&quot; of computers and hauling the homeless and/or illegal immigrants in by the truckload with enticements of cigarettes, booze, or in the case of immigrants, money. We've already seen the democrats stoop this low in Wisconsin, but at least in that case there were witnesses.

Russ, NCNE

 

[Ornery]

Hey, it's becoming a reality as we speak:

Electronic Voting Hot List

Lead, follow or GET OUT OF THE WAY!

 

[kranky]

Well, this is something different - I disagree with Ornery, and he's wrong.

There's so much wrong with this idea I don't know where to begin.

Separating the act of identifying the voter from the actual vote.
Lack of physical evidence of votes cast.
Who writes the software? Who audits them? Who audits the auditors? (repeat)
Will we have open source software so the code can be as scrutinized as possible?
And if we do that, how do we prevent a rogue copy from being installed?
Who will have enough balls to claim the vote counts cannot be compromised - because that would be the first such system in the history of computing.

Maybe someday, Ornery, but that day is not today, nor is it going to be in the near future.

 

[Ornery]

I'd suggest following a few of those links above for answers to specific security and paper trail questions. As it is now, I'm listening to a report about college students that cast multiple votes and the cigarettes for votes story. I think you know as well as I do that this new system can't be any worse than the current one and has the potential to far surpass it... THE SOONER THE BETTER!

Improving The Election Process

 

[Impact55]

I agree with the security etc. , but you also have to understand that not EVERYONE has a computer!

 

[Ornery]

I bet everybody can access a PC easier than they can access the nearest polling place!

BTW, just curious how many of you process your tax return on-line? How about making on-line purchases for several hundred dollars? How long ago was it that you thought those type of transactions were just a pipe dream? Uh, I believe 10 years ago the very question would have seemed like a joke!

 

[DefRef]

Ah jeez..they just had a thing on ABC News about the smokes-for-votes deal and how over 140 college students admitted to voting more than once. When informed that it was a felony, the kids were like, &quot;A felony? What for? I only voted twice.&quot; One guy admitted voting FOUR times! (No info on who got the votes.)

Great.

 

[chess9]

Ornery:

The internet is one of many ways to achieve the desired result. I see nothing wrong with having the internet, computer terminals at voting precincts, and paper ballots during a 5-10 year transition period. Ultimately digital voting will be the way elections are &quot;scored&quot;.

I haven't heard any good arguments in opposition to your view.

Sorry to have to agree with you for a change.

 

[Ornery]

chess9, you're still basking in the afterglow of seeing your GOP wife vote for Gore!

You'll be back to your old self next week, I'm sure.

 

[Impact55]

<< I bet everybody can access a PC easier than they can access the nearest polling place >>


Bet's are easily lost.

 

[Ornery]

Impact55, I bet some time during the day on the second Tuesday of November you'll be near a PC at home, at work, at school, library, homeless shelter or shopping center. If you've become immobile, without applying for an absentee ballet, it would be easier to get a portable to you then get you to a polling place.

Hell, even a simple cartridge game system is able to access the Web via TV and phone line. An apartment complex or government housing needs only one PC for everybody under it's roof. Heck of a lot easier than setting up a polling place every few miles...

 

[JellyBaby]

Hmmm...I'd say wait to see how Digital Signatures pan out then restart this thread. Should only take a few more years before we know how secure digital signatures truly are.

It would be a big project. Each state would need new laws, new equipment, new personnel. It'll take time and demand on the part of voters. And until every child is born with PC knowledge in-hand, it must exist alongside the traditional paper system. All I can say is I'd hate to be a systems designer for it!

 

[Balt]

You have to realize, both political parties fear more electoral mobilization (new voters) to some extent. Without the political parties pushing for the new method of voting, it's not likely to happen soon (if ever).

 

[xaigi]

Internet voting? Youve gotta be kidding.

The first time we try it Pokemon wins for president and the only thing you can find on the news is the feds breaking down some 12-year-old's door.