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However, their trial system was considered to have weaknesses
according to the academics, who were invited in to test
the system. It was considered to be insecure, to be
vulnerable to hackers and a hazard to national security.
Even though the government is stepping back and reassessing
its pilot project, many European countries already have
used an e-voting system, or are going ahead on one this
year. The United Kingdom government uses e-voting to
increase voter turnout in local elections. Voters were
assigned a ballot number and a personal identification
number to ensure one vote per person. They could go
to the government Web site, log in and vote. The purpose
of course was to increase the participation of young
voters in local government elections. The results were
up a little in some areas and significantly in others.
Last year in the United Kingdom, 17 local authorities
offered e-voting to1.9 million voters. The voter also
could use the remote control and vote through DirecTV,
over the phone or at postal kiosks.
Voter turnout increased 5 percent to 43 percent, but
in Swindon, the United Kingdom reported the greatest
success with an increase of 75 percent in voter turnout.
Local elections will continue to utilize the e-vote,
but because of the lack of a paper trail, national elections
might not utilize the e-vote until a means of verifying
each vote in case of a recount is in place.
In Surrey, community Web site provider Touch provided
a survey on the Internet. It even took its survey to
the street. The survey showed that nine out of 10 individuals
favored the e-vote system to visiting polling booths.
Silicom.com revealed that the United Kingdom’s
government is developing a worldwide XML schema for
online voting systems in conjunction with international
standard bodies. The government is serious about implementing
the e-vote.
France already used the e-vote for its expatriates
in the United States last year. Sixty percent of French
residents in the United States were found to have Internet
access. Ireland has purchased the Powervote/NEDAP system
at a cost of $52.5 million, including the terminals.
The Irish plan on using this system in their local
and European vote on June 11. This same system has been
used successfully in Germany and Holland. The Irish
presently are testing the Powervote/NEDAP for secrecy
and accuracy.
In the United States, an ATM-type system is being
installed across 34 states, which can produce a paper
trail or receipts like the bank or most ATM systems.
After the user selects the candidate with the touch-screen
machines, a ballot would be printed and the electorate
would see his/her choice, which would be placed in the
ballot box for recounting. After the problems in Florida
in the 2000 elections, a more reliable system is needed.
The American people are interested in a flawless, accountable
system that can be backed up with a paper trail, and
demand that such a system be in place for the November
election.
There is still doubt that the system is reliable enough.
Many feel that a candidate can make a choice and that
the machine, through code tampering, could register
a completely different vote, thus altering the results
of the election.
It is hoped that all states are able to implement the
touch-screen machines with a ballot printout so that
each electorate would be able to verify its votes. Because
of letters and e-mails expressing concern, 16 states
have gone ahead and legislated laws to implement the
“verified voter paper trail” procedure.
Unfortunately, Florida will not be one of the states
allowing printed receipts — at least not for this
election.
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