The Computer Ate My Vote

CSc 302 Computers and Society
Presentation by John Dalbey
Mar 30, 2005

Overview

History and Technical Explanation
Demonstration
Problems with electronic voting
Examples of voting irregularities in 2004 election
Benefits
Solution - Voter Verified Paper Trail
What you can do

Introduction

Animated Cartoon of electronic voting problems

History

Problems with paper ballots
HAVA - Help America Vote Act
One-third of U.S. voters used electronic voting in 2004 election.

Technical Explanation

Touch-screen voting machines replace punch card ballots.
DRE - Direct Recording Electronic voting machines.
Demonstration - a simulation of electronic voting.

Problems with electronic voting

Did the vote get recorded correctly?
The software is often unreliable or easily tampered with.
Security systems are very primitive
Weak standards for certification
Testing procedures are secret!
Partisan Diebold executives.
Diebold employed convicted felons.
Disillusioned voters undermines democracy.

Examples of voting irregularities in 2004 election

30% U.S. voters used electronic voting in 2004 election
9 counties in CA.
More votes recorded than voters.
Arithmetic errors in vote tallying.
Insufficient memory resulted in lost votes.

Benefits

No partial votes ("hanging chads")
No double votes.
Avoids unwanted undervoting.
Multi-lingual
Support non-traditional voting systems, e.g. IRV
Voice guidance for visually impaired

The Solution

VVPT - Voter Verified Paper Trail
Creates a printed ballot for voter verification
"Paper trail" is NOT a "receipt" that you take with you.

What you can do

CA is 1st state to mandate VVPT.
Support the Voter Confidence and Increased Accessibility Act
Check to see if your Rep is a cosponsor.

References

Wulsin, H.W. "Count Down" Current Science 22 Oct. 2004.
Kaplan, Anna. "Follow the Nonexistent Paper Trail" Humanist Jan./Feb. 2005.
"Computer Loses 4,500 Votes." Associated Press. 4 Nov 2004. http://www.wired.com/news/print/0,1294,65601,00.html
Diebold Election Systems web site: http://www6.diebold.com/dieboldes/
http://www.blackboxvoting.org/
http://www.verifiedvoting.org
Voter Confidence and Increased Accessibility Act of 2005.

Exam Questions

1. "Electronic Voting" means:
a) Voting over the internet.
b) Using touch screen display computers instead of paper ballots.
c) Absentee voting via e-mail.
d) Using a polling device attached to a television.

2. Which of the following is not a significant concern about electronic voting.
a) Unreliable software
b) Primitive security
c) Power failures
d) Inadequate certification standards.

3. Explain what is meant by "Voter Verified Paper Trail" in one sentence.

Solutions:
1. b
2. c
3. The electronic voting machine creates a printed ballot from the voters selections that can be confirmed by the voter and retained by precinct workers.