This timeline shows the history of modern voting technology from the first use of uniform paper
ballots in 1856 through the Direct Recording Electronic Voting Machines in use today.
Starting with the 1856 Australian Secret Ballot, which was the first state to use uniform official ballot that listed all candidates and issues in a fixed order, to the 2009 sale Diebold, Inc. voting machines to Election Systems and Software Inc., which now will control over three-quarters of the voting machine market.
After the Presidential Election in "Nov. 2000... many Americans first recognized that their electoral system had serious problems with flawed voter registration lists, obsolete voting machines, poorly designed ballots, and inadequate procedures for interpreting disputed votes." Half of the listings in the timeline have come following the Florida 2000 debacle.
Is there a technological way we can do it better? Despite the advances, voter turnout in the U.S. still stays in the mid-50-percent rage for Presidential elections. Any ideas. Also post your pick for voter turnout in Illinois for the Nov. mid-terms.
votingmachines.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=000273
3 comments:
I think that the best way to improve voter turnout would be to make the whole system electronic. By putting ballots online (required online registration on a website where voter information could be stored, making it easier to facilitate registration) which makes it possible for people to vote without readjusting their schedules to vote. Polling places could set up computerized booths and careful programing could ensure that votes are not misread.
I like the idea of voting machines. I think that they have the potential to improve accuracy. However, like all technology they have their flaws, for instance one machine acting up could changed the entire course of an election. But, I think they have still have a lower margin error that human balloting counting. Some people also make the argument that online voting would increase turnout, but I fell that it would be way too easy for a hacker to corrupt the process that way. I ultimately like the current system, even though it does have some flaws.
Jeez Wolak, its been over 3 weeks and elections are coming up and no blog post?! Also, I am in favor of political machines because when they work right they minimize error, but if there are legit pro hackers they could get into this.
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