Reliable Voting Systems: Ensuring Fair and Secure Elections
In a democracy, elections are a fundamental part of the system to choose the state’s leader and decide its future.
Any reliable election must have two key features, which are almost opposed to each other, to be considered reliable.
Anonymity
Firstly, the election should be anonymous. All votes should be anonymous, and no one should be able to determine how someone voted at any point during or even after the election. In this way, no voter can be threatened or bribed to vote in a particular way. No voter should be able to prove how they voted.
Trust
Secondly, the regular voter should be able to trust the system implicity, regardless of their technical knowledge. They should be able to trust that their vote will be counted and that the counting system works.
Earlier Solutions
In many countries, physical ballots were and are still used to conduct elections. In this, a person checks their vote on a physical paper ballot and puts it in the ballot box. The ballot box is kept sealed and unsealed only in the presence of all parties with a stake in the election. No one person or authority is given the responsibility at any given time. People can be corrupt, make mistakes, be threatened, be bribed, or all of the above simultaneously. All valid ballots are counted either manually.
For example, if a ballot can be traced back to the voter via their signature or identification, that ballot is not counted. In traditional voting systems, relying on the manual counting of paper ballots can result in human error, leading to inaccurate election results. This can be particularly problematic in communities where certain populations, such as low-income communities, are disproportionately affected by these errors. In these cases, the inaccuracies in the election results may perpetuate existing power imbalances and perpetuate systemic inequalities.
Technological Solutions
In recent years, the advent of electronic voting machines has promised to streamline the voting process and provide more accurate results. With electronic voting, instead of writing their vote on paper, the person goes up to an electronic machine, either pushes a button or presses a touchscreen to vote, and the machine counts the vote. This makes the elections more convenient and counting the votes easier.
Problems with Electronic Voting
However, these machines are often proprietary and closed-source, making it difficult to verify the accuracy of their results. Electronic voting systems can be vulnerable to hacking and cyberattacks, which could compromise the integrity of elections. There could also be technical glitches, such as software bugs or malfunctions, that can cause electronic voting systems to fail, leading to inaccuracies and mistrust in the election process. Electronic voting systems may not be accessible to all voters, particularly those who are elderly or have disabilities.
Earlier, one would have to manipulate many ballots and polling stations to change the result of an election, and if one tried to do that at scale, it would be highly unlikely that this conspiracy would stay hidden. Now, with hacking and cyberattacks, the cost of changing one vote is the same as changing millions. The hacker does not even need to set foot inside the country where they are manipulating the results.
It also depends on the assumption that the average voter trusts the voting machine or the counting system. The average voter may not have the technological knowledge to implicity trust the software on the electronic voting machine, the counting system, or both. Online voting lacks transparency. With traditional voting methods, the counting of the ballots is done in public, allowing for transparency and accountability in the election process. With online voting, counting the ballots is done behind closed doors, making it impossible for voters to know if their vote was counted correctly.
For an election to be compromised, the actual election does not necessarily needs to be compromised. Putting enough doubt about the voting system or election results is enough to compromise it. When the public loses trust in the election process, it can have severe consequences, including widespread disillusionment with the democratic process, leading to low voter turnout and, ultimately, the erosion of the democratic system itself. This is why ensuring that the public is confident in the election process and its results is essential. If the public loses trust in the election system, it becomes easier for external actors or other entities to manipulate the results, even if the actual election is not compromised.
Conclusion
In conclusion, reliable and secure voting systems are critical for a healthy democracy. The two key features of any reliable election are anonymity and trust in the system, regardless of the voter’s technical knowledge. While traditional paper ballots and electronic voting systems have been used in recent years, both systems have their strengths and weaknesses, and neither system is foolproof. Online voting, while promising convenience, lacks transparency and security, making it unreliable. It is essential to ensure that the public is confident in the election process and its results. As technology continues to evolve, it is crucial to maintain a balance between convenience and security in the election process to ensure the integrity of the democratic system.
Thanks for Reading! Show some love! I would love to know your thoughts in the comment section!
I am a freelance content writer, blogger and graphic designer. Please email me at: hnambiar200@gmail.com for work.
If you like my stories, kindly donate to the link below this article. Every tiny bit helps!
