On Nov 14, 2003, at 1:55 PM, David GLAUDE wrote:
I think that before any electronic system get introduced, you need to carefull set the goal and define what democratic election are.
I actually think that this is an excellent point. We may disagree about how easy a technical solution is, but I think we agree that we need to explicitly state what the requirements are.
The point is that the requirement are and should be technology independant. There is no reason why you would apply a different standard for electronic voting than for traditional (paper) voting.
Has anyone put together an "Electronic Voting Bill of Rights" to specify what criteria should be required of electronic voting systems? If not, I think it would be awesome if electorama could draft and ratify something like that. Touch-screen voting seems to be a hot issue, and it might generate some good publicity.
Strange goal that you have. You want publicity... rather than the protection of democracy.
I'm sure many people here have their pet list, but I haven't seen anything systematic. Mine would include things like:
REQUIREMENTS FOR ELECTRONIC VOTING SYSTEMS (EVSs)
1. MUST enable potential recounts
It is important to know what a recount mean. In Belgium we do recount the magnetic card (in case power is lost in the computerised magnetic card ballot box)... or we get impossible result. But this give us no garantee since we have no proof that what is on the magnetic card is the voter intent.
Also the word potential is risky. What should be done is to make some full recount (in random location� and partial recount everywhere else to detect hardware/software failure (or worst). If partial recount go wrong, then full recount is required.
The recount must be technology independent, imagin a recount made using the recount program from the e-vendor. "Print me one more time the result, they ask for a recount."
Also we must recount something that was voter verified (without technological help).
2. MUST be developed in an open process, allowing external accountability
All software and procedure MUST be open for review by all the citizen (transparency). So source code, reference compilation, hardware specification, sample content of booting device/encryptiong key/initialisation data. The source code must be writen in standardised non-proprietary language for wich refence open source implementation exist.
3. MUST allow me to verify that my vote was entered and counted correctly
In a technology independant way.
4. MUST NOT allow other people to verify that I voted a particular way
MUST respect the secrecy of my vote.
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