Elections: Paper to Online - Get with the Program!

By Libah Grossman, Senior Elections Consultant, Votenet Solutions

Introduction

The last few years have seen more and more organizations jump on the Internet bandwagon to provide services in a self-serve format. This article discusses this trend with respect to private elections, examines the benefits of using online election systems and makes suggestions on transitioning to an online environment. 

Everything is Online!

The Internet has helped organizations reduce their overhead costs by allowing them to provide services on the Web in a self-help, self-serve, on-demand format. Everything from groceries, to banking, to travel is now available on the Web. The Web offers the convenience of allowing people to conduct these transactions from the comfort of their homes at a time of their choosing. It’s all accomplished in an efficient, fast, and convenient manner via the Internet.

Online voting is not only cost effective it’s also easy to maintain.  In addition, the service is available around the clock, and in most cases, does not need significant investment for the Web site user beyond the equipment they probably already own and use.

The process becomes expensive since the same process must be repeated for every election cycle. There are substantial costs involved with creating, printing and mailing the ballots. If the elections are conducted in-house, costs are involved. It will be necessary to pay personnel or use up personnel time to track the election, tabulate results and provide assistance to voters. All of this is eliminated with online voting.

If the elections are out-sourced to a third-party vendor, they can become even more expensive, with the typical vendor charging an average of $2 per vote.

Another drawback with paper elections is that historically they have poor voter participation. Once ballots are mailed out it is often difficult to communicate with voters to encourage them to vote and mail the ballots back. A paper election is an inconvenient and inefficient process that requires a lot of work on the voter’s part.

Are Online Election Systems Really Better?

Since their introduction a few years ago, online elections have become very popular. There are many advantages to turning to the Internet to run your elections – from the ease of use (for voters and administrators alike) to the convenience they offer.

Internet-based elections offer a secure, robust, efficient and convenient alternative to paper elections. They offer significant time and money savings while retaining the inherent advantages and features of a paper-based election. For example, with Internet-based elections you can: 

1. Set up Shop Quickly: Ballots can be easily set up in very little time and changed as many times as required before elections start. All ballot parameters, such as election dates/times, voting rules and restrictions can be replicated exactly as with paper elections

2. Prevent Voter Fraud: Since most systems are secured and only allow authorized entry to eligible voters, there is no such thing as ballot stuffing.

3. Track Progress and Results Real-time: Since the votes are tallied real-time and instantly, an election can be easily tracked for voter participation and outcome.

4. Access and Declare Results Instantly: Since the system is tallying and tabulating the votes as they are cast, results can be declared immediately after voting closes. Additionally, raw votes are available to track individual votes received.

5. Maintain Privacy: Maintain voter privacy as in paper elections with anonymous voting.

6. Manage Biographies: The ballots and biographies are stored in one place allowing voters to read candidate information during elections. As with paper elections, these can be as detailed or concise as required.

7. Manage Voters – Even Those Without Internet Access: A voter management system allows for some important election tasks to be carried out without internet access. Such tasks include proxy voting or printing ballots for voters. Making paper receipts available allows you to take voters who still might prefer paper balloting into account. 

8. Reassure Your Voters: Unlike paper systems, Internet-based systems allow voters to print a confirmation receipt of their choices. The receipt has a unique confirmation code that voters can use to verify that the system has tabulated their choices correctly.

Are There Any Drawbacks to Online Election Systems?

but are recorded by an Internet site that is usually hosted externally. In reality, however, organizations actually maintain tight control over their elections since they have full rights to the election Web site via secure access points. It also allows them to out-source elections to a third-party since the vendor or an auditor can also be given access as an unbiased party.

Another argument often made against online elections is that with paper elections, organizations are always in possession of the vote cast by the voter since it is on paper and is available for verification if needed. The same argument is made with respect to recounts, where many organizations fear that if a recount is necessary it is simply not possible with an online system. Both these assumptions are incorrect.

As outlined earlier, some online systems provide voters with the facility to print a receipt of their vote, which allows them to uniquely verify each vote. Similarly, these receipts can be used as “paper” ballots in the rare event that a result is challenged.

The only perceived drawbacks that may exist with online election systems have to do with the use of technology and public confidence in the technology. With rapid advances in technology, Internet applications are fast becoming more secure, reliable and robust. A good system is also secured against potential problems such as hacker attacks and operates under tight security safeguards and procedures such as firewalls, data encryption and protected data storage facilities.

Online Really is Better

who will ultimately use the system to cast their votes. Online systems have been known to increase voter participation. Some of the major advantages are:

• Speed – Quick and easy setup

• Smart – No voter fraud, all rules and restrictions accepted

• Safe and Secure System - Protected by technology and hardware

• Reliable–Unbiased - Independent and ready when you are

• Convenient - Vote anytime and from anywhere  

• Moving is Easy – Transition from Paper to Online!

It is possible to slowly transition to an online system with the new generation systems that offer “hybrid” systems. These hybrid systems allow organizations to conduct online elections but still provide voters with the option to use paper ballots, which can be tabulated into one system easily. Most systems also offer the option of third-party administration allowing the out-sourcing of the entire hybrid election process. The hybrid strategy allows an organization to slowly move to a fully online system, allowing voters and administrators time to familiarize themselves with it.