Here is a bit I posted on Nov 6th 2004 at Power and Control titled Why I Am Against Machine Voting. The AP link no longer works. The sentiment is worth repeating:
This is why I think paper ballots are essential. They leave a paper trail not dependent solely on bits in memory. Actual people can count the ballots if there is a dispute.
It is time to get rid of voting machines, punch card ballots, electronic voting and any other method that does not leave a reliable verifiable paper trail.
Paper ballots, computerized counting.
Works for me.
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Here is a bit I did in August 2006 called Electronic Voting which has a link to a discussion at Winds of Change..
posted by Simon on 01.16.08 at 04:51 PM
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Add on serial numbers on ballot and tear-off sheet, plus time-stamp and people can do a look up by serial number to ensure their vote was counted.
Absolutely anonymous as the actual ballots can be randomized and the serial number is not put on the voter's personal record. Now *that* would be a good system and have assurance to the voter that their vote was seen and counted. Heck, one of those optical scanning machines could even include a low cost scanner to put a small image of the scanned ballot on the receipt so that the voter makes sure that their ballot was properly seen. Keep the paper for X number of years for legal requirements and the digital copy as archive once the paper is removed. Paper ballots backed up by digital processing with receipt, validate on the spot, and after the counting is complete.
Multi-way verification: local (check low res to ensure it was what you put in), by district (ensure your vote was tallied properly and cross-check on the scan) and by State (upset voters will be heard and ballots that outnumber voters will show up and the cross-check keeps the valid ones and removes the invalid). Less accountabilty by mail, of course, but the voter would receive the receipt for post election cross-check perhaps done in a self-folded envelope by the counting machine.
Add on serial numbers on ballot and tear-off sheet, plus time-stamp and people can do a look up by serial number to ensure their vote was counted.
Absolutely anonymous as the actual ballots can be randomized and the serial number is not put on the voter's personal record. Now *that* would be a good system and have assurance to the voter that their vote was seen and counted. Heck, one of those optical scanning machines could even include a low cost scanner to put a small image of the scanned ballot on the receipt so that the voter makes sure that their ballot was properly seen. Keep the paper for X number of years for legal requirements and the digital copy as archive once the paper is removed. Paper ballots backed up by digital processing with receipt, validate on the spot, and after the counting is complete.
Multi-way verification: local (check low res to ensure it was what you put in), by district (ensure your vote was tallied properly and cross-check on the scan) and by State (upset voters will be heard and ballots that outnumber voters will show up and the cross-check keeps the valid ones and removes the invalid). Less accountabilty by mail, of course, but the voter would receive the receipt for post election cross-check perhaps done in a self-folded envelope by the counting machine.
And they can always be processed by *hand*.