Elections on the Internet -- Not Any Time Soon

jACL writes "From the Technology Review article: "After several years debating minimum requirements for voting equipment, the computer science and public policy communities appear to agree that the Internet--as it exists today--can't sufficiently safeguard the privacy, security and reliability of the voting process. Pitfalls range from the obvious, such as malicious hackers, to the obscure. For example: Every state requires that votes be cast in secret, but how can officials verify that a party hack isn't standing beside a remote voter?"" Unfortunately, this is probably all to true.

Comments

It doesn't matter ...

[jc42]

Ah, it doesn't matter, anyway. The Supreme Court just set a precedent that says that courts can ignore ballots and state laws dealing with how they are to be counted, and "elect" someone by a vote of the court itself.

Re:It doesn't matter ...

[jlower]

Except for the tens of thousands of mostly black, mostly Democrat voters who were disenfranchised prior to the election simply because they had the misfortune of sharing a last name with a convicted felon. That's how the election was really stolen and the only decent coverage of it that I ever saw was by the BBC.

Okay, that part was off-topic but this part isn't.

The real problem is two-fold. Making sure every voter is permitted to vote and making sure the ballot is understandable.

If you don't accomplish these things first, it doesn't matter how/where/when you hold the vote. Fix what's broken first!

You might argue that the Florida 'butterfly' ballot was understandable but the mere fact that people are arguing about it (to my mind) proves it wasn't clear enough. It should be undisputably easy.

Given the current state of the web, I don't see how they could hold an election over it. I can see the complaints now - "I pressed the VOTE button and...".

Re:All the arguments against online elections

[jc42]

Probably George W, by the same 5-4 majority.

KPevin!

[Tri0de]

Kevin Mitnick for President.

Re:Maintain the Status Quo even easier! - on the '

[TheRowk]

And why would this be a bad thing? You're basically saying that this would prevent the uneducated from voting, I don't see the problem. Right now we're allowing the most uneducated to vote on issues that pertain to today.

What responsible and educated descisions can anyone lacking at least a college education make about the important issues that concern our nation and our politicians today?

• Cloning and the Genome project.
• Almost all internet issues.
• Microsoft monopoly or not and implications of open source in the economy.
• Space funding.
• Current economics, other than 'Hyuck, lower taxes!'

Heaven forbid should we acknowledge that all men are not! created equal and that this countries voting, legal and politics are not working properly.

Don't get me wrong, I love this country, I'm damn proud to be American and it's no questions asked the best country in the world but I believe the American people need to be willing to accept real changes to our government. Look at how this world has changed significantly in the last 200 years. Do we use anything else in our lives that was made 200 years ago? Oh I'm sure examples are out there so save your fingers the typing.

I don't mean to sound like a conceded prick but recently graduating from a university I'm probably closer to realizing than many 'older' people that a high school education these days is insulting. You can literally sleep through high school, turn in no work and obtain a C average for showing up.

I'm sure you can make a 1000 arguments about how this would continue the uneducated/poor downward spiral and blah blah blah. Maybe I'm just fed up with supporting the people in this country that don't support themselves. I work damn hard for my money and worked damn hard to work myself through college, to want to just give it to people that have no desire to better themselves.

All men are NOT created equal, but I do believe men ( and women of course ) should be given an equal chance at succeeding in obtaining an education and gaining the priveledge! to vote. But I'm rather sick of living in a country where it's 'ok' to not succeed. How bout we raise that standards bar back up a little and make this country #1 again in education

Sorry for the rant.
-TheRowk

Re:STFU you crybaby Democratic jackass!

[real_b0fh]

> So, before you stupid Liberals and Democrats start taking credit for the Internet, just remember, It's not true!

Dude, this is the funnies thread ever!

Who gives a fuck to the so called "Internet"? it is just a tcp/ip network which happens to range worldwide. In my point of view, it is inevitable that as technology matures, we would have a worldwide ip network eventually.

So, this Internet mith and hype ppl can kiss my ass. What a bunch of retards.

(mongoloid reply, please, mr donkey ;-)