I wonder if voting will ever be available via the internet

[Dharma]

Do you think this will ever be possible?

Once they enter their SSN, they can't vote again...

They way they do it in some states is so frightening...

[RobMoney$]

No.

[Randetica]

no but i wish

[DroppinScience]

NO!!

Can somebody say "hacking"? I don't know why people think this would be a viable idea.

[jennyb]

I guess to someone like me who has no concept of how the hell anyone can hack anything.... i mean people do alllllll sorts of major official bidness online from banking to registering vehicles etc...

It just seems to me like a way to avoid all the probs of voting the old way cuz god knows there's "hacking" done on that front too!

But it's nice to see Rob and Droppin' agree on something. :D

[Dharma]

1. Convenience
2. More people would vote
3. I am sure the server would be protected like the pentagon from hackers.

I wouldn't say its completely ridiculous, but it probably won't happen in our lifetime.

[kaiser soze]

The damn touch screen voting machines don't work....how could this?

I say we sue the government for not properly auditing, monitoring, and making sure these machines work correctly!

[Adam]

It should and will be possible.

You don't have to run un-secure servers or use microsoft products these days. Also, it would be easier to catch any1 who did try to break into the system. I'm sure it'd be easier to sign yourself up to help on voting day and have a hand in mis-counting the votes that way that it would be to crack a online system.

I'm sure they tested a voting system by sms here in the UK at one point - pretty sure it worked ok. Nothing major tho - or I may of even made that up.

[King PSYZ]

if they can let us do taxes online and access our refund info with no hacking or fraud issues yet I'm sure they could even use the same system and info to allow people to vote in national elections via internet.

maybe you have to provide the previous years refund info or something of that nature.

[b i o n i c]

NO!!
No.


But it's nice to see Rob and Droppin' agree on something. :D

(y)

[Documad]

I'm sure it will be, and fairly soon.

Like Jenny mentioned, most of citizens' interactions with government are online already. Voting and appearing in court are two of the only things left that have to be done in person.

[jackrock]

It should and will be possible.

You don't have to run un-secure servers or use microsoft products these days. Also, it would be easier to catch any1 who did try to break into the system.

And tracking down and prosecuting people that attempt to hack the system will cost big time money.

What's to prevent someone from holding a gun to your head, telling you how to vote?

Technology is nice, but it's been proven that it should stay away from voting.

[Bob]

it's not just hacking though, there would be no surefire way of ensuring that the person casting the vote is actually the person they're saying they are. social security numbers, dates of birth, passwords, mothers' maiden names can all be stolen. just because i'm sitting down at a computer entering john smith's personal information and casting a vote in his name doesn't mean i'm john smith, and i don't have to hack the pentagon to steal his identity. i can just steal his mail, or get him drunk, or blackmail him or something.

no, i don't like it, i think voting needs to be more closely monitored than that. even if it's just a volunteer checking your license and watching you walk into a booth.

[Dharma]

Odd...

You can open a bank account online.
Trade stocks online.
Wire money online.
Pay your bills online.
Open a credit card online.
Do you taxes online.
Pull your credit report online

But you can't vote online.

[Documad]

When I go in to vote, an elderly woman asks me my name. I tell her my name, she checks her list to see whether I'm registered in that precinct. I am. She has me sign my name on the list. She never asks for ID or any sort of proof re who I am. I get to vote.

They don't have my DL or SSN -- those aren't required in order to vote. I registered several years ago when I moved here and I needed something back then but not when I actually vote.

Granted, it would be easier for one person to vote several times as several different people via the internet because voting now means that you have to stand in line for over an hour so there are only so many times you could physically vote even if you were impersonating other people. But let's not have a lot of illusions about safety.

And the hacking that we will likely experience won't be one person voting as several other people, but one person changing the results in key districts over all.

The real reason for the alleged security isn't to protect us from voter fraud -- instead it's designed to discourage people from voting. Because the more people who vote, the less likely the established powers that be (i.e. incumbent state officials) are to remain in office.