Yes, security might force us to use simpler solutions like ballots to
be similar, votes to be shorter (e.g. only two or three rankings
allowed), and even to reduce the number of candidates. The latter two
simplifications are already vote buying / coercion oriented.
Security might also force us to more complex solutions like having
districts to limit the number of available candidates. Otherwise the
voter might be asked to vote for some candidate from the other side
of the country that nobody is expected to vote.
One more approach to semi-computerized voting. A computer displays
the personal alternatives and then prints a ballot. This solution
hides the personalized nature of the ballot and still avoids the
problem of voter voting for candidates that he/she should not vote.
Juho
On Aug 27, 2008, at 1:37 , Raph Frank wrote:
On Tue, Aug 26, 2008 at 9:41 PM, Juho <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
One could use also the coordinates of the homes of the voters and
get rid of
some of the polling station location related speculation. (One
would be
pretty much forced to use the computerized (personal) candidate
lists that I
mentioned in my other mail.)
It could actually be accomplished in reverse.
You give your name and then they print a ballot on the spot for you
listing all the required names. Ofc, it might be easier just to have
stacks pre-printed and just give the voter the ballot that is
appropriate for them.
However, care would need to be taken to prevent the secret ballot
being compromised. At least 100+ voters would need to be assigned the
same ballot configuration.
Another nice feature is that it would allow voters to vote at any
polling station. If you happened to be out of the constituency for
election day, you could show your ID and then vote somewhere else.
This assumes that the PR-STV is being handled as a single
constituency.
There is also a potential security issue if the ballots are printed
slight differently for each voter. Slightly different positions of
the characters for example could incorporate a code that IDs the
voter.
This is one of the reasons that having all the ballots printed
beforehand and being required to be identical is important.
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