Electronic Voting: the Devil is in the Details

Observing electronic voting from an international point of view gives some perspective about its genesis and evolution. An analysis of the voting process through its cultural, ontological, legal and political dimensions explains the difficulty to normalize this process. It appears that international organizations are not capable to properly defend the fundamental rights of the citizens. The approach that was taken when DRE voting computers appeared seems to have reoccured with VVAT voting computers and the european e-poll project.Comment: 9 page

Electronic Voting: A Failed Experiment

This document provides brief summaries of only some of the many DRE failures that have been reported in news articles, along with short excerpts from the articles. The list is in order by state

Vendors are Undermining the Structure of U.S. Elections

As we approach the 2008 general election, the structure of elections in the United States -- once reliant on local representatives accountable to the public -- has become almost wholly dependent on large corporations, which are not accountable to the public. Most local officials charged with running elections are now unable to administer elections without the equipment, services, and trade-secret software of a small number of corporations. If the vendors withdrew their support for elections now, our election structure would collapse. Case studies presented in this report give examples of the pervasive control voting system vendors now have over election administration in almost every state, and the consequences some jurisdictions are already experiencing.However, some states and localities are recognizing the threat that vendor-dependency poses to elections. They are using ingenuity and determination to begin reversing the direction. This report examines the situation, how we got here, and steps we can take to limit corporate control of our elections in 2008 and reduce it even further in the future

ICT and elections in Nigeria: rural dynamics of biometric voting technology adoption

Applications of Information and Communications Technology (ICT)-driven innovations are profound in the electoral cycle. Among them, biometric technology is currently sweeping across developing countries. It is, however, only poorly adopted among rural voters. Does the use of biometric technology in the conduct of elections reconstruct rural voters’ behaviour, amid prevailing social challenges? The links between these realities and their consequences are currently less understood, and lacking in supporting literature. I argue that the public perception of biometric technology, the availability of proper infrastructure, and the distance between polling stations and the dwellings of rural voters all affect the latter's level of adoption of biometric technology. These interactions combine to produce specific modalities that shape voting behaviour and general political culture. I elicit primary data from voters in Nigeria’s remote villages, so as to predict the implications and consequences of glossing over the dimensions and magnitude of the biometric technology adaptation challenge by policymakers. I conclude by reflecting on how these interplays and interactions create "spatial differentials" in electoral outcomes/credibility, and proffer possible strategies for institutional intervention.Die Anwendungen von Innovationen im Bereich der Informations- und Kommunikationstechnologie (IKT) sind im Wahlzyklus von großer Bedeutung. Biometrische Technologie erobert derzeit die Entwicklungsländer. Sie wird aber von den Wählern auf dem Land nur schlecht angenommen. Ändert die Nutzung von biometrischer Technologie das Wahlverhalten der Bevölkerung auf dem Land vor dem Hintergrund sozialer Herausforderungen? Der Zusammenhang zwischen diesen Realitäten und ihren Folgen wird in der Literatur noch nicht umfassend behandelt. Der Artikel argumentiert, dass die öffentliche Wahrnehmung der biometrischen Technologie, die Verfügbarkeit einer geeigneten Infrastruktur und die Entfernung zwischen den Wahllokalen und den Siedlungen der Wähler auf dem Land allesamt beeinflussen, inwieweit die ländliche Bevölkerung solche Technologien annimmt. Dieses Zusammenspiel führt zu spezifischen Modalitäten, die das Wahlverhalten und die allgemeine politische Kultur prägen. Ich nutze Primärdaten aus abgelegenen Dörfern in Nigeria, um zu zeigen, wie politische Entscheidungsträger Herausforderungen bei der Anwendung biometrischer Technologien schönreden und welche Folgen dies hat. Abschließend betrachte ich, wie diese Wechselwirkungen und Interaktionen zu "räumlichen Unterschieden" bei Wahlergebnissen/Glaubwürdigkeit führen und biete mögliche Strategien für institutionelle Interventionen an

A Fallible "Fail-Safe": An Analysis of Provisional Balloting Problems in the 2006 Election

A Fallible 'Fail-Safe' provides a snapshot of provisional balloting problems experienced by voters across the nation in November 2006, as reported by Election Protection volunteers. While provisional ballots may comprise only a fraction of the national vote, as this report shows, they determined the outcome of various electoral races in 2006

Canadian MSAT field trial program user requirements

A wide range of mobile satellite service offerings will be available in late 1993 with the launch of Canada's first satellite devoted almost exclusively to mobile and transportable services. During the last seven years, the Dept. of Communications has been meeting with potential MSAT users in government and the private sector as part of a $20M Communications Trials Program. User trials will be conducted using leased capacity as well as capacity on Canada's MSAT satellite. User requirements are discussed which were identified under the Communications Trials Program. Land, marine, aeronautical, and fixed applications are described from the perspective of the end users. Emphasis is placed on field trials being accomplished using leased capacity such as the marine data trial being implemented by Ultimateast Data Communications, trials using transportable briefcase terminals and additional field trials being considered for implementation with the TMI Mobile Data Service. The pre-MSAT trials that will be conducted using leased capacity are only a limited sample of the overall end user requirements that have been identified to date. Additional end user applications are discussed, along with a summary of user benefits