What's stopping the US from having online elections?

[CrackaLackaZe]

They could just assign every registered voter a passcode or something like software keys, and limit number of allowed votes to number of registered voters. Wouldn't things be much more convenient this way? Wouldn't it also yield more votes?

 

[minendo]

Abuse and cost.

 

[TommyVercetti]

Lack of paper trail, security holes in the existing software, and lots of politics.

 

[amcdonald]

You could just sell your vote.

 

[Grey]

And five years later when people realize that half the online voters in 2004 were deceased for twenty years we will know.

 

[CrackaLackaZe]

I don't know much about networking, but the US government can't maintain an awesome, hard as hell to crack database and server?

 

[BigJ]

Originally posted by: minendo
Abuse and cost.

Ding ding ding! Short and to the point.

 

[CrackaLackaZe]

Originally posted by: Grey
And five years later when people realize that half the online voters in 2004 were deceased for twenty years we will know.

Thats why unique keys are given to people who register to vote every year.

 

[Babbles]

Even many people in that type of industry say online elections would be a bad thing at this point in time.

 

[CrackaLackaZe]

Originally posted by: Babbles
Even many people in that type of industry say online elections would be a bad thing at this point in time.

Well, I know it's a bad idea for the time being, and it's got a lot of holes in it. But with the advancements in technology and the growing number of people, would it be practical in the near future?

 

[minendo]

Originally posted by: CrackaLackaZe

Originally posted by: Babbles
Even many people in that type of industry say online elections would be a bad thing at this point in time.

Well, I know it's a bad idea, and it's got a lot of holes in it. But with the advancements in technology and the growing number of people, would it be practical in the near future?

What about all the reigistered voters who do not have computers?

 

[CrackaLackaZe]

Originally posted by: minendo

Originally posted by: CrackaLackaZe

Originally posted by: Babbles
Even many people in that type of industry say online elections would be a bad thing at this point in time.

Well, I know it's a bad idea, and it's got a lot of holes in it. But with the advancements in technology and the growing number of people, would it be practical in the near future?

What about all the reigistered voters who do not have computers?

Public libraries? Or they could even set up public facilities specifically for voting, it wouldn't be that expensive to maintain, and they could have constant supervision with a recording camera or something. And it would only be unlocked for voting times, other times it would be locked up.

 

[Corsairpro]

when you telefile your federal income taxes, you only need to know 2 numbers, your SSN and a 2 digit PIN. I doubt the government would do much better than that if they did online voting.

 

[HomeBrewerDude]

security

 

[CrackaLackaZe]

Originally posted by: HomeBrewerDude
security

I'm assuming by security you mean network security?

I don't know much about networks, but yeah I agree that server and database exploits are very possible. Would this be the biggest obstacle?

 

[dullard]

Security and cost are significant problems. However another significant problem is that online elections will favor one group of voters (generally young, educated, and not poor) over other groups of voters. As it is everyone must (a) get off their butts and travel the couple of blocks to vote or (b) take the time and effort to request an absentee ballot. Thus lazy people generally don't vote. Suddenly switching to a method that will have many more lazy voters and a lot fewer eldery voters can be a huge swing in votes that neither political party is willing to risk.

Note: lazy vs elderly is just an example. I could have gone with rich with computers vs poor without them. Or any other potential huge voter swings that may exist.

 

[DaiShan]

Actually nothing. My mom's old company did a LOT of e-government and were working on some online voting for like city elections and things, don't know how its going now as she's since moved on to another company. I don't think it will be used for a LOOONG time in any major or even semi-major elections (if at all).

 

[CrackaLackaZe]

Originally posted by: dullard
Security and cost are significant problems. However another significant problem is that online elections will favor one group of voters (generally young, educated, and not poor) over other groups of voters. As it is everyone must (a) get off their butts and travel the couple of blocks to vote or (b) take the time and effort to request an absentee ballot. Thus lazy people generally don't vote. Suddenly switching to a method that will have many more lazy voters and a lot fewer eldery voters can be a huge swing in votes that neither political party is willing to risk.

Note: lazy vs elderly is just an example. I could have gone with rich with computers vs poor without them. Or any other potential huge voter swings that may exist.

That was the problem I had in mind. So, I'm wondering, when technology catches up and it becomes less expensive, along with some kind of revolution in network security, would it be enough to overcome the quoted issue?

 

[TitanDiddly]

Security. Somebody WILL hack & crack it.

 

[GagHalfrunt]

Originally posted by: CrackaLackaZe
I don't know much about networking, but the US government can't maintain an awesome, hard as hell to crack database and server?

Microsoft can't protect their own servers, but you expect the US Government to be more compentent? Let's see the government pave the freakin roads before we trust them to operate an uncrackable network.

 

[GasX]

Originally posted by: GagHalfrunt

Originally posted by: CrackaLackaZe
I don't know much about networking, but the US government can't maintain an awesome, hard as hell to crack database and server?

Microsoft can't protect their own servers, but you expect the US Government to be more compentent? Let's see the government pave the freakin roads before we trust them to operate an uncrackable network.

haha - well said

 

[CrackaLackaZe]

Originally posted by: Mwilding

Originally posted by: GagHalfrunt

Originally posted by: CrackaLackaZe
I don't know much about networking, but the US government can't maintain an awesome, hard as hell to crack database and server?

Microsoft can't protect their own servers, but you expect the US Government to be more compentent? Let's see the government pave the freakin roads before we trust them to operate an uncrackable network.

haha - well said

lol...I guess its too much to ask.

 

[LordJezo]

1337 h@*0rZ and script kiddies is my guess.

 

[skace]

It is gotta happen sooner or later.

 

[ggavinmoss]

I don't think we'll move on to online elections until we as a country master regular elections.

-geoff