State of Alaska Election Security Project Phase 2 Report

A laska’s election system is among the most secure in the country, and it has a number of safeguards other states are now adopting. But the technology Alaska uses to record and count votes could be improved— and the state’s huge size, limited road system, and scattered communities also create special challenges for insuring the integrity of the vote. In this second phase of an ongoing study of Alaska’s election security, we recommend ways of strengthening the system—not only the technology but also the election procedures. The lieutenant governor and the Division of Elections asked the University of Alaska Anchorage to do this evaluation, which began in September 2007.Lieutenant Governor Sean Parnell. State of Alaska Division of Elections.List of Appendices / Glossary / Study Team / Acknowledgments / Introduction / Summary of Recommendations / Part 1 Defense in Depth / Part 2 Fortification of Systems / Part 3 Confidence in Outcomes / Conclusions / Proposed Statement of Work for Phase 3: Implementation / Reference

A cost-benefit analysis of preconditions and predicted effects from e-voting implementation in Ukraine

A cost-benefit analysis of preconditions and predicted effects from e-voting implementation in Ukraine / Yana M. Sadykova, Mykola V. Starynskyi, Nataliia O. Horobetc, Yurii M. Zhornokui // Trames-Journal of the Humanities and Social Sciences. – 2018. – Vol. 22(72/67), Issue 3. – Р. 257–271.Sadykova, Y. M., et al. "A Cost-Benefit Analysis of Preconditions and Predicted Effects from E-Voting Implementation in Ukraine." Trames-Journal of the Humanities and Social Sciences 22.3 (2018): 257-71. Print.Питання впровадження інформаційних технологій у виборчий процес залишається предметом обговорення і в Україні. Немає чіткої позиції щодо запровадження електронного голосування як елемента електронної демократії. Аналіз існуючої практики впровадження систем електронного голосування та визначення можливих наслідків може бути засобом прийняття рішень. Для цього було обрано параметричний підхід. Такий аналіз здійснюється на підставі даних Естонії, яка вже запровадила систему електронного голосування з відповідною екстраполяцією отриманих даних щодо України. Прогнозовані наслідки впровадження електронного голосування в Україні можуть бути визначені у збільшенні нормативного електорального навантаження на виборчі дільниці, а фактична виборча навантаження зменшується, а рівень довіри та доступу до виборів зростає. Зміни активної участі населення в політичних процесах через впровадження електронного голосування наразі неможливо оцінити.The issue of implementing information technology in the electoral process remains a subject of discussion also in Ukraine. There is no clear position regarding the introduction of e-voting as an element of e-democracy. The analysis of the existing practice of introducing e-voting systems and identifying the possible effects can be the means for making decisions. For this analysis a parametric approach was chosen. Such an analysis is carried out on the basis of Estonia's data, which already introduced an e-voting system with an appropriate extrapolation of the received data concerning Ukraine. The predicted effects of implementing e-voting in Ukraine can be defined in increasing normative electoral load on the polling divisions while the actual electoral load is reduced and the level of trust and access to elections increases. The changes of the active participation of the population in political processes due e-voting introduction are not possible to evaluate at present.Вопрос внедрения информационных технологий в избирательный процесс остается предметом обсуждения и в Украине. Нет четкой позиции относительно введения электронного голосования как элемента электронной демократии. Анализ существующей практики внедрения систем электронного голосования и выявления возможных последствий может быть средством для принятия решений. Для этого анализа был выбран параметрический подход. Такой анализ проводится на основе данных Эстонии, где уже внедрена система электронного голосования с соответствующей экстраполяцией полученных данных об Украине. Прогнозируемые последствия внедрения электронного голосования в Украине могут быть определены в увеличении нормативной избирательной нагрузки на избирательные участки, в то время как фактическая избирательная нагрузка снижается, а уровень доверия и доступа к выборам возрастает. Изменения активного участия населения в политических процессах в связи с внедрением электронного голосования в настоящее время оценить невозможно

Trusting e-voting amidst experiences of electoral malpractice: The case of Indian elections

This paper constructs explanatory theory on trust in e-voting, a term that refers to the use of stand-alone IT artefacts in voting stations. We study e-voting as a techno-organisational arrangement embedded in the process of elections and the broader socio-economic context of a country. Following a critical realist approach, we apply retroduction and retrodiction principles to build theory by complementing existing studies of e-voting with insights from an in-depth case study of elections in India. First, we seek evidence of trust in e-voting in the responses of the public to the announcement of election results. Then we derive the following four mechanisms of trust creation or loss: the association of e-voting with the production of positive democratic effects; the making of e-voting part of the mission and identity of electoral authorities; the cultivation of a positive public attitude to IT with policies for IT-driven socio-economic development; and, in countries with turbulent political cultures, a clear distinction between the experience of voting as orderly and experiences of malpractice in other election tasks. We suggest that these mechanisms explain the different experience with e-voting of different countries. Attention to them helps in assessing the potential of electoral technologies in countries that are currently adopting them, especially fragile democracies embarking upon e-voting

E-voting: an immature technology in a critical context

E-voting has been introduced prematurely to national elections in many countries worldwide. There are technical and organizational barriers which must be resolved before the use of e-voting can be recommended in such a critical context. Two fundamental requirements for e-voting systems are in con ict: ballot-secrecy and accuracy. We describe the nature and implications of this conflict, and examine the two main categories of proposed solutions: cryptographic voting schemes, and Voter Veried Audit Trails (VVATs). The conflict may permanently rule out the use of remote e-voting for critical elections, especially when one considers that there is no known way to reproduce the enforced privacy of a voting booth outside the supervision of a polling station. We then examine the difficulty faced by governments when they procure Information and Communication Technology (ICT) systems in general, and some mitigation strategies. We go on to describe some legal implications of the introduction of e-voting, which could have serious consequences if not adequately explored, and discuss the evaluation and maintenance of systems. In the final chapters we explore two approaches to the development of requirements for e-voting