E-voting: An accident waiting to happen or efficient technological advance in the system?

Not a digital divide topic per se, but as an extension of TechSoup.org's e-voting story, I would like to hear your thoughts on e-voting.

- Have you ever used an electronic voting machine? What was your experience like?

- One area I didn't touch on in this article are the accessibility issues that e-voting can help resolve, e.g. the ability to display ballots in many different languages or audio capabilities for the benefit of those who are blind. Do you know of any cases where this kind of technology has allowed someone to vote who may not have been able to using traditional voting methods?

- Does e-voting make you nervous? Happy? Why?

Above all, whether electronically or not, get out and vote on November 2.

- Henry

I've used electronic voting machines in Alameda County, California. I've used these in two (or three, I'm not sure) elections at this point.

The first time was not confidence-inspiring.

The poll works seemed to have little or no training, most of the machines weren't working, and the staff seemed to be having trouble setting the machines up for each new voter -- it was this activity that was rendering the machines unusable.

This made me feel like I had no way of determining whether or not I'd really voted. I actually asked for a paper ballot so that I could get my voting done and so that I had some way of knowing that I had completed the act of voting.

The second experience was much different. The machines worked. When the staff interacted with them, everything went smoothly. It felt like I had voted.

I realized an interesting thing: the eVoting machines made me very aware of the fact that I didn't know whether or not my vote counted. That's true of the paper ballets as well. I have no idea what happens to the paper or the eballots; how they are traced, who touches them, and the possibilities for disruption or the ways to guard against it. I simply trust the paper ones more because I hold it in my hand.

I'm curious to hear the experiences of others.

-webb

Passing this along from another list:

If you vote in a county where electronic voting machines will be used, you have the right to request a paper ballot at the polls on nov. 2nd

Visit paperorplastic2004.org for more information.


The following CA counties plan to use e-voting machines:

Alameda, Santa Clara, Orange, Napa, San Bernardino, Merced, Plumas, Shasta, Tehama, and Riverside. It's important to know that election officials in at least 3 counties (Alameda, Santa Clara, and Orange) have instructed poll workers to keep this paper ballot option a secret.

Sarah

Here's another Wired Story on e-voting:

E-Voting Tests Get Failing Grade

And Dan Gillmor points to some more resouces for e-voting:

• E-voting news and analysis from the experts
  
• CalTech-MIT/Voting Technology Project
  

-webb

Today was slow -- only five voting machines and people in line -- but the technology felt fine. Interestingly, a voter before me was aghast when she realized that she had no receipt or proof of voting (of course, you don't necessarily have that when dumping an absentee ballot into the giant ballot suitcase).

What has been the experience of others with using e-voting?

-webb