Top 8 Advantages and Disadvantages of Electronic Voting

In this article, you will know the answer to the query “Top 8 Advantages and Disadvantages of Electronic Voting“.

Why do we still vote on paper when everything is going digital? Let’s weigh the advantages and disadvantages of electronic voting.

What is the use of paper voting in a world where your kettle can be connected to the internet? The convenience of being able to vote from home might seem appealing, but there are also pros and cons to consider.

In order to determine whether electronic voting can replace paper voting, let’s examine what electronic voting is.

What Is Electronic Voting?

You might imagine tapping a touchscreen at an electronic voting machine (EVM) or casting your vote online when you imagine electronic voting. It is important to note, however, that the term “electronic voting” covers a great deal more.

The term electronic voting refers to any type of voting that uses modern technology to cast or tally votes. There are already many polling locations that use scanners to count paper ballots in the United States.

If we can vote online, why go to a polling place? Prior to utilizing electronic voting for the future of a country, we need to consider its advantages and disadvantages.

TYPES OF ELECTRONIC VOTING WITHOUT INTERNET

1. Voters cast their vote using computer equipment located at polling places

An application for this option must be developed. There are multiple computers at each polling station.

Rather than connect to the internet, the computers are configured as stand-alone devices or connected to a local area network.

A voting system of this kind can be operated in a variety of ways.

A swipe card could be given to voters when their name is removed from the roll by a poll official.

After a swipe card has been used to activate the computer system, the results are sent to a central location.

2. Electronic voting using touch screens located at polling places

As with option 1, this option operates similarly. However, it uses a touch screen instead of a button.

Voters can choose their preferred candidates by selecting the top five.

So, the voter’s first preference is the first candidate name touched by their finger, their second preference is the second candidate name touched by their finger, etc.

3. Telephone voting assisted by an operator

Voters with low vision and blindness already use this system. An under-identified registration number is provided to the voter when he or she registers to use the telephone system.

A voter calls into the system using these details and is transferred to an operator who records the vote.

4. Telephone voting by following the computer-generated prompts

Voters can use their smartphones or other mobile devices to cast their vote with this option.

Using the touch-tone dial pad, the voter answers each question by selecting an option from a pre-recorded voice.

The results are encrypted and anonymous once all choices are confirmed. Upon receiving a receipt, the voter is prohibited from voting again in that election.

5. Kiosk voting

A temporary electronic voting machine can be set up in high-traffic locations, such as shopping centers, supermarkets, and main streets.

A central location collects all results after voting.

TYPES OF ELECTRONIC VOTING WITH INTERNET

1. Voters cast their vote at polling stations using the internet

The development of a voting website is required for this option. There are computer workstations at each polling station.

Internet access is automatically set up for the computers. From this page, voters can cast their ballots.

2. Mobile internet voting

Mobile polling teams are required to travel to designated polling locations with portable internet-connected devices to conduct polls.

This would allow voters to cast their votes via these devices.

3. Remote internet voting

Any device with an internet connection can be used to vote through this option. Smartphones, tablets, computers, etc.

Can all be used to vote. To make and maintain the voting application, one must use a computer.

4. Postal voting using email

Remote and overseas voters already use this system in Tasmania. Emails are sent to voters each time they cast their votes.

After voters have completed their forms, they send the documents to the Electoral Commission either as scanned images or as clear photographs attached to an email.

ADVANTAGES & DISADVANTAGES OF ELECTRONIC VOTING ADVANTAGES OF ELECTRONIC VOTING

Current voting systems have a number of problems that electronic voting may resolve.

This aspect must be noted, as the extent to which these problems are reduced or resolved will depend largely on the model of electronic voting that is implemented.

In some cases, this can be determined by the number of voters that are able to use this method.

1. Accessible voting for individuals with a disability

Those with disabilities, such as the blind or the visually impaired, may find it difficult to use the traditional method of using paper ballots.

Multiple systems have been trialed and implemented to facilitate voting for these individuals.

A number of options are available, such as braille ballot papers, magnifiers, and closed-circuit magnifiers, electronic voting machines with voice prompts, and call-in voting.

The community of the blind and low vision feels that electronic voting machines are the most effective method of casting an independent and secret vote among the many methods that have been tested.

Individuals can verify the accuracy of their preferences using electronic voting machines as well. In particular, this is useful for people who are unable to vote due to incapacity or disability to use a computer.

Before casting a ballot, the individual will be able to hear their choices that have been registered on their behalf on an electronic voting machine.

With this verification process, any ambiguity regarding the polling official’s completion of the ballot is eliminated.

2. Reducing the logistical burden associated with the manual paper ballot process

There are many logistical challenges involved in the current election process. Northern Territory’s entire adult voter population must be able to participate under the time constraints, following a prescribed process, and following a prescribed process. Resources and materials must be provided to make this possible.

Even though the NT elections are not as resource intensive as full federal elections, the task of producing, distributing, and retrieving the large number of materials used for Legislative Assembly elections not only consumes large amounts of time and resources but also negatively impacts the environment.

It is possible for the NT to reduce some of these logistical and material burdens by implementing an electronic voting system.

3. Voters living in remote locations

There are many remote polling stations in the Northern Territory due to the wide geographical spread of the population.

The postal vote is one way to solve this problem, but it also comes with some challenges.

The delay in transportation and the narrow timeframes means that voting Counting of the material is impossible because it has not yet been received or returned.

The voters who vote by mail must also simply trust that their vote has been counted and that it has not been tampered with.

It may be possible to ensure individuals living in remote areas can vote via the Internet by implementing a remote voting system.

The internet is easily accessible to most people nowadays. It is much easier for individuals to be assured that their vote has been counted by removing the delays associated with physically receiving, returning, and counting postal votes.

An easy method of voting could lead to an increase in voter turnout. In the Northern Territory, where voter turnout is 10% to 20% lower than the national average of 90%, this is of particular importance. And in remote regions, it’s even lower.

4. Overseas voting services

Through the implementation of remote internet voting, those who live overseas could vote in a way that is both practical and accessible.

Today, almost everyone has an internet connection. People can be sure their votes have been counted when the time delays involved with physical delivery, return, and counting of postal votes are eliminated.

5. Increasing participation among voters from non-English speaking backgrounds and with English as a Second Language

Voters with low English literacy levels or from non-English speaking backgrounds might benefit from electronic voting.

Individuals would be able to vote electronically in their preferred language, for example, with electronic voting machines.

6. Faster results

Collection, verification, and calculation of votes require labor-intensive and time-consuming processes.

Finding out the results of an election can take days, even weeks. Election results can be delivered much sooner after polling stations close due to electronic voting.

If electronic voting were the only voting option implemented, faster results would be achieved only.

Only a small percentage of voters will use electronic voting, so it’s unlikely to affect the results process much.

7. Meeting public demand and expectation

The media often debates whether online voting should be permitted. Online voting has become increasingly popular.

Online banking and shopping have become highly popular and widely used examples of this trend.

In the future, it is likely the public will expect our voting practices to The voting practices of other countries are also aligned with modern life.

Several countries around the world have successfully implemented electronic voting, including Estonia, Belgium, and Canada, which are cited further on in this paper.

8. Increasing participation among Aboriginal voters

Indigenous voters living in the Northern Territory have been particularly difficult for the AEC to reach.

The AEC has faced several challenges getting Aboriginal people to vote. Indigenous communities face many challenges, such as the transient nature and general isolation of many, as well as cultural obligations, school retention rates, social problems, health issues, numeracy and literacy levels, and language barriers.

Several challenges require long-term solutions. Voter education and engagement in the Northern Territory are provided by the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) in association with the Northern Territory Electoral Commission (NTEC).

An Education and Information Officer’s (CEIO) program was established by the AEC in the lead-up to the 2007 Commonwealth Election to improve Aboriginal voter participation.

Indigenous staff with the appropriate language skills, community connections, and community knowledge were recruited for the program.

Indigenous staff visited more than 800 remote and rural communities across Australia in total.

Electrification by itself will not be able to eliminate the complex cultural and environmental barriers that currently prevent many aboriginal people from voting. 

Disadvantages of Electronic Voting

Electronic voting systems have a number of advantages, but they also have a number of disadvantages The system has some drawbacks.

Below is a list of those drawbacks. Before any kind of decision is made at random, it should be seriously considered by all involved Voting electronically.

1. Vulnerability to hacking

Research conducted by the Congressional Research Service Vendors and election services for Election Reform and Electronic Voting Systems According to the laws of most jurisdictions, the results of elections are not transmitted Prospects may transmit their data via the internet, but they can also use a direct modem.

You can connect to a VPN or create one. Even so, it may not be the ideal solution. Especially vulnerable to cyber attacks if encryption and authentication are not in place Insufficient.

The reason for this is that telephone systems are insufficient Computers and the internet connect them to an ever-increasing degree Local area networks (LANs) can be used to connect the receiving server Internet access is possible.

It would therefore be impossible to use the internet Bangladesh is the only country in which we have continuously harbored suspicions of Fraud in the election process.

2. Voter verified paper audit trails

They are all fully electronic (touch screens, wireless connectivity, etc. There are risks and limitations associated with DRE and internet voting Technology relating to computers.

Examples include detecting the presence of computers The potential for intentional or accidental use of hardware and/or software Change the outcome of an election.

Notable CEO and President Rebecca Mercuri explained it this way: Independent verification is crucial for democratic elections and software We have recorded the choices of voters in the balloting as intended and calculated the vote totals A reliable and indisputably accurate representation made with the same materials used by the voters.

Verifying voter signatures on paper ballots (VVPB) is an auditable method for ensuring voters’ identity Votes will be counted when they are available.

There will be no VVPB without it. The results of the election should be independently audited.

3. Susceptibility to fraud

There is no widespread voter fraud either Everything is either absent or nonexistent.

This has always been the case in our country.

All losing political parties have accused each other of fraud. The degree of fraud varies.

You can add increments as well. This voting system was created by one vendor and distributed by another.

Millions of votes can be systematically falsified at hundreds of thousands of polling booths

The results of the vote. Many may disagree that electronic voting is impervious to tampering.

In spite of the difficulty of creating machines, computer scientists have tampered with them.

In order to demonstrate how easy it is to accomplish.  But, if people know about it, they can accomplish it in a much more efficient way.

As long as they’re familiar with the machines, they can remove the storage card.

Their own memory card is put in the voting machine that keeps the votes.

The vote can be manipulated with a virus. The fraud is massive and widespread.

From a wholesale perspective. Stuffing a ballot box, in contrast, works at a retail level.

A tamperer, however malicious and skilled, can stuff only as many ballots as might plausibly be cast at the polling place, but a faulty and corrupted voting system (malicious DRE software) could affect far more votes.

4. Accuracy in capturing voters’ intent

If the device is equipped with a touch screen It is possible to knock sensor alignment out of whack during elections During transport, shocks and vibrations can occur.

The sensors must be protected against these Before the voting begins, the touch screen is realigned at the polling place Voters’ intentions can be misinterpreted by machines.

If a voter touches a button, it may not be interpreted correctly. Candidates X and Y would both light up on the screen, but candidate Y wouldn’t Alternatively.

5. Political ties of manufacturers

In the present government, a decision has been made to not Next general elections will be held under the provision of the caretaker government.

An election commission has attempted to conduct the election under a political government.

The use of e-voting systems is considered unfair and unreasonable. Choosing our election commission.

Additionally, it has also been criticized for its own inadequacies After January 11, controversy erupted with comments and actions. In 2008, there was also a coup and general elections. Let us summarize.

Manufacturers or companies are undeniably affected by the political climate E-voting machines will be tailored by the company hired for the project Political party’s ‘needs’ at the moment.

They are a great complement Every other political party scrutinizes, distrusts, and inquires about the country has economy.

6. Malicious software programming

Almost all software is a computer program Programming and coding are the sources of software.

The software can be anything An engineer who has access to the source code has tampered with it.

During testing The security of electronic voting systems is an issue, especially if they are hacked It is basically impossible to introduce and conceal something intentionally. This would be on purpose.

Commercial software contains code inserted by programmers Through the computer keyboard, obscure command combinations and keystrokes are entered Changes in election results are possible.

7. Physical security of machines

When it comes to hardware controls, Direct recording electronic voting machines (DRE) fall into one or more of the following categories: The examination revelation controls were found to be weak in the examination.

All the locks on a building were found to be covered by rust, according to Specific DRE models could be picked easily, and they were all controlled by the same computer Wallets.

The DRE model was also linked with other types of DRE to form a universal model The network is rudimentary.

Accidental or malicious destruction of one of these machines would be devastating. In a network with other machines, voting is possible on those machines that aren’t connected to the others Disruption is likely.

The switch used to turn a computer on and off may also be broken The DRE system, along with the systems for closing the polls during one election, should be turned on or off There was no protection for DRE terminals.

8. Secure storage of cast votes

In the computer memory of the voting machines, electronic votes are stored in a safe place.

In Secure Electronic Voting, Doug Jones, Ph.D., professor of computer science at the University of Iowa, points out that “for more than 15 years” Since the 1990s, all direct recording electronic voting machines have been required to have redundant storage.

However, this redundant storage does not provide an independent copy of the votes, since it is generated by the same software that created the original record.

Therefore, there can be limited use of multiple files to ensure that the software is correct.

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