I agree with Abd ul-Rahman Lomax below. The paper ballot is cheap, adaptable, and provides a paper trail. Dedicated voting machines are a bad idea.
An excellent proposal I heard on PBS radio long ago is this: The voter uses a computer (any old basic PC) to create a ballot. The ballot is then printed in a format suitable for scanning. The computer keeps no records. The voter takes the printed ballot, checks that it corresponds to his intentions, and puts it into a ballot box. Subsequently (or immediately), the ballot is scanned. The scanning computer counts the votes and the paper ballots are kept as the gold standard. Anthony --- Abd ul-Rahman Lomax <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Again, this is a voting machine problem, a very strong argument for > going back to paper ballots, particularly paper ballots that can be > scanned. Since the equipment necessary for scanning is lying about, > essentially free, the conversion cost would be minimal. Note that > voters are already able to cast paper ballots, since I presume they > don't mail out the machines to absentee voters..... > > As I've written many times, voting machines were a bad idea from the > beginning. If a voting machine could not handle, say, two or three > positions per candidate, then it was already primed to have > difficulty with just about any electoral reform, since most of the > proposed reforms give more opportunity for additional candidates to > run without damaging outcomes, so we can expect candidate counts to > increase. The voting machine argument, in the end, is against just > about all election method reform, not just Range. It inhibits IRV or > any Condorcet method that allows more than two ranks. (Condorcet > reduces to Approval if only two ranks are allowed.) > > >HAVA is demanding new voting machines. With proper planning and > >procurement these could have whatever capabilities are useful. > > The proposals -- and laws -- for new machines just about drive me > crazy. Paper ballots are cheap, can be scanned with cheap or free > equipment, and provide inherent audit trail. However, they don't make > the mfrs of voting machines rich, and there is no paper-ballot lobby, > nor a significant pencil lobby, nor will there be until voters wake > up and realize that the system is eating their lunch. > > ---- > election-methods mailing list - see http://electorama.com/em for list info > Send instant messages to your online friends http://au.messenger.yahoo.com ---- election-methods mailing list - see http://electorama.com/em for list info
