Journal #3, July 13

http://www.manifest-tech.com/society/voting.htm

Voting is one of the most valuable rights that Americans have. Voting is what allows each and every citizen to have a voice and hand in the people, laws, and polices that make up the system that governs out society. Electronic voting is something that many Americans are calling for instead of paper ballots and even being able to vote over the internet. It’s true that every system is flawed. But human error, for the most part, tends to cause more flaws than electronic voting. One of the problems with Florida ballots were that the people could not accurately match the candidate with the right area to mark. The same type of problems could occur with electronic voting. Many people, especially older people, are not technology literate. They don’t know how to work computers, they even have a hard time using the atm. Accidental problems and issues are bound to occur but what happens when the problems that occur with ballots aren’t accidental? When someone intentionally creates problems with ballots they are determined and I’m sure switching to electronic ballots would make it harder, but would not deter them. People would be able to hack systems, delete votes, create votes, or even place viruses in the systems that completely destroy it. Hackers would not even have to be “insiders” to hack into the system, they could do it from their home computer and cause an insurmountable amount of damage and community mistrust to the voting system. People could also use the identities of others and vote for them. Despite all that I’ve said I think if the proper amount of security measures were taken that electronic voting, especially voting via internet, could be a great thing. People wouldn’t have to leave work to vote, those unable to leave their homes, in the hospital, or away from home (i.e. on vacation, in school, in the military) wouldn’t have to go through the hassle of getting and turning in an absentee ballot. In the end I guess I’m pro- electronic voting.