Subject:
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Re: Question for the Conservatives out there
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.off-topic.debate
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Date:
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Thu, 5 Aug 2004 17:37:59 GMT
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Viewed:
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1788 times
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In lugnet.off-topic.debate, Dave Schuler wrote:
> Interestingly, it appears that the GOP has decided that e-voting is so
> unreliable that it's encouraging Florida Republicans to use their absentee
> ballots instead.
>
> http://www.buzzflash.com/contributors/04/07/con04321.html
>
> So this is all becoming less and less hypothetical as we go along. Hmm...
I've been against e-voting from very first moment I heard about it, because the
closer it gets to being done over the internet, the closer it gets to the point
where either a hacker can directly tweak the results, or a timed virus can
prevent millions from being able to vote before the polls are closed.
I'm quite satisfied with the system we've got locally, which combines the best
of both worlds. When you go in to vote, you get a paper ballot that's very easy
to read (boxes separating each category, no butterflyness, etc.). You fill it
out at a table, and if you make a mistake, you can turn it in for a replacement
ballot. When you're satisfied with how you've voted on everything, you run it
through a machine that electronically tallies everyones' votes. Here's the
kicker. If you screwed up and double-voted, it spits it back out and you know
you have to get a replacement ballot for your vote to count (until the machine
accepts your ballot, you have not officially voted). If a recount is needed,
the paper trail bypasses the electronic tally, so a programming glitch, whether
accidentally or intentionally introduced, won't be able to permanently screw up
the vote. Neither will a power outage, or rough handling of the paper ballots.
The one odd little problem that seems like it should be changed is that if you
check one of the boxes to vote a straight party ticket, you are considered to
have voted for that party's candidate in every category, even if there's not one
listed, so voting for a candidate who is not opposed by a member of your party
still registers as a double-vote and will result in your ballot not being
accepted (but at least you get a chance to fix it before you walk out the door).
The ideal voting system these days should continue to combine people, paper, and
electronics. As with the three systems of government, each of those three
systems has advantages that can be used to balance out the disadvantages of the
other two. Electronic machines are faster and more reliable for tallying votes.
Paper is more reliable for proving the true result in a recount. People are a
more reliable means of detecting problems.
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Message has 1 Reply:
 | | Re: Question for the Conservatives out there
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| "Purple Dave" <purpledave@maskofdestiny.com> wrote in message news:I1zIBB.6M0@lugnet.com... (...) you (...) to (...) not one (...) party (...) door). The best ballots I have seen so far were in Wake County North Carolina. A very easy ballot where (...) (20 years ago, 5-Aug-04, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
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Message is in Reply To:
| | Re: Question for the Conservatives out there
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| (...) Interestingly, it appears that the GOP has decided that e-voting is so unreliable that it's encouraging Florida Republicans to use their absentee ballots instead. (URL) this is all becoming less and less hypothetical as we go along. Hmm... (...) (20 years ago, 5-Aug-04, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
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