Electronic and Online Voting
A Look at Issues and Solutions

Without question, the year 2000 U.S. presidential election brought to the fore issues related to the election technology which underlies our democratic form of government. Citizens have been surprised to learn that current voting systems are inconsistent and highly fallible. In a time when computer technology and network communications have become commonplace in America, these problems seem inexcusable. An understanding of the issues and problems that new voting technologies must resolve will help citizens make and support wise choices for new voting systems.

What are the issues? The California Internet Voting Task Force, chaired by the Secretary of State, published their "Report on the Feasibility of Internet Voting" in January, 2000. ). This study lists these criteria which must be validated by an internet voting system:

• Voter Authentication
  A system must be in place that guarantees that only eligible voters participate.
  
  
• Ballot Secrecy
  Privacy in the matter of voting is crucial. "Additionally, it is imperative that all voters are assured that
  their right to a secret ballot is protected and guarded jealously by ... officials who themselves are kept aware of who has voted, but purposely are kept ignorant of how individuals vote. This then is the fine line that those who administer Internet voting must walk – audits must be possible, fraud must be impossible, and the secrecy of ballots must be ensured."
  
  
• Ballot Integrity
  There must be no opportunity for ballot tampering throughout the process.
  
  
• Reliable Vote Transport and Storage
  Internet service reliability varies widely; security of data in transmission must be maintained
  
  
• Prevention of Multiple Voting
  This requires a system of cross-referencing submitted ballots to the eligible voter list, without compromising ballot secrecy.
  
  
• Defense Against Attacks on Internet Voting Machines (which could be any computer or specialty device used for voting) and Against Attacks on Election Computer Systems
  Computer viruses, "denial of service" attacks, and the like can sabotage internet communications of all kinds, and must be taken into account.
  

Another consideration:

• A voting system should be designed to assure that all eligible voters have equal opportunity to participate. If special equipment, software, or bandwidth requirements exclude or impede participation by any population of eligible voters, election results may be slanted. For example, in the case of national elections, data clearly indicate that older voters will be LESS likely to vote if they must use a computer to do it, whereas 18 to 24 year olds are much MORE likely to vote if they can do it online.

Our Phi Delta Kappa chapter will hold elections for officers in April of this year. We have previously used the membership listserve to announce elections, and requested members to vote by return email. What are weaknesses of this form of voting, in consideration of the criteria listed above? Share your comments via the listserve.

As our chapter grows, and strives to take a leadership position in the use of internet technologies for organizational communications and programs, this is one area of operations in which I believe we need to become more credible. I solicit suggestions from the membership which can guide the executive committe in devising a new system.

Consider that a combination of technologies may serve us well. For instance, here's one method, (which is used by the International Society for Technology in Education): "snail mail" can be combined with internet use. A ballot can be posted on the chapter website which members print, mark, and mail anonymously. Individual PIN numbers can be assigned and distributed via email which members use in place of, or in addition to, a return address on the envelope. The voter is "authenicated" by the data on the outside of the envelope, and then the ballot is separated from the identifying marks for counting.

An internet company called Validity Systems, Inc. offers internet-based voting services for organizations. They have a demo on their website of how an organization's election would "look" with their system. Please view this demo. What do you think?

Please share other experiences and suggestions for a better ways in which we can conduct our chapter elections!

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