Why would anyone choose to vote on paper instead of the computer? If it’s simply an “I-don’t-trust-those-computers” thing, then I have news for them.

1) If the government was going to screw with your computer votes, they could just as easily mess with the paper ones.

2) The paper ballots are scanned BY A COMPUTER. So essentially, you’re just creating more work for someone by voting on paper.

If there is some other reason, please let me know, because I’m completely baffled.

Comments

4 Responses to “Just a question from the polls”

  1. drew on March 7th, 2008 4:50 pm

    I think they should go old school style and make everyone bring their Number 2 Pencil with them to vote. But better yet, make sure it’s clear of who they’re voting for without the punch out holes and maybe make it permanent ink so they can’t easily erase it. Then you’re the one who feeds it into the counting machine with results printed out for you for proof.

    There’s really no fool proof way to vote in my opinion. Anything can be tampered with.

  2. marlena on March 7th, 2008 5:45 pm

    i live in oregon and the thing that i LIKE about voting with write in ballots (paper you send in the mail) is that i don’t have to go out of my way to wait in line to vote. With a rowdy 3 year old, it’s not very convenient. but what sucks about it is that they screw up so easily. for example, during the last presidential election, i had gotten married a few months before election day. i had changed my name and done all the right legal stuff i needed to do on my end. well lo and behold, they sent me a ballot for both my maiden AND my married name! i didn’t want them to throw out both my ballots when they realized i had voted with both my names and i had to go to the voter registration and straighten it out. annoying!
    but what you mention is definitely a concern of mine. i guess you’re damned if you do, damned if you don’t , know what i mean?

  3. Gopi on March 7th, 2008 11:57 pm

    Paper is more secure, and leaves a trail that can be used to verify/recount.

    Security expert Bruce Schneier has a nice essay explaining the issue:

    http://www.schneier.com/essay-039.html

  4. Amy on March 13th, 2008 9:13 am

    As a security person: What Gopi said, particularly the Schneier article. If you don’t feel like reading the article, the lack of any kind of audit trail is generally regarded to be the biggest (but not only) issue.

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