Voting is a basic decision-making process, especially in a democratic system. It allows people in an area to have a say in who governs them.
Depending on the system, there are different ways to collect votes. While voting systems in regular decision-making can be used in electoral systems, not all electoral voting processes can be used in all settings.
In small organizations, voting can occur in several ways. It can be done formally via ballot or informally as a gesture or spoken agreement.
In a democratic country, the voting process is usually straightforward. However, a citizen must meet the standard requirements before casting votes.
Either way, the methods of casting votes differ. One of these methods is electronic voting.
What is Electronic Voting?
Electronic voting is the use of electronic means to aid the voting process.
It uses the electronic Voting machine (EVM) or computers with a secure internet connection.
The voter usually selects a touch-screen display, although the audio interface can be used for people with visual disabilities.
In electronic voting, you consider the basic steps in an election. The first is ballot composition, where voters make choices; the second is ballot casting, where voters submit their votes.
The third is ballot recording, where the system records the ballots, and ballot tabulation, where the votes are counted.
All these processes, especially ballot composition, are done using a computer.
There are two types of electronic voting techniques: internet voting (I-voting) and electronic voting (e-voting).
Internet Voting
With the rapid spread of internet use, the voting process naturally grew to fit the new trend.
In internet voting, voters will vote from any computer connected to the internet. The i-voting system quickly became an opportunity to make democracy easier.
However, several countries decided that the Internet was not a secure voting means; therefore, this method is not often used.
Electronic Voting
The electronic voting system uses Electronic Voting machines to cast votes from designated polling stations.
E-voting systems are more secure than internet voting because they are done under the supervision of electoral bodies.
This system speeds up the election process and makes it easier to recount votes.
What is an Electronic Voting Machine?
An Electronic voting machine (EVM) is an electronic device that replaces paper and boxes for voting and recording votes.
Before the emergence of these machines, people vote by putting a stamp on their choice of candidate, folding the paper, and putting it into the ballot box.
This process was not only time-consuming but also prone to errors. Electronic machines have made the process easier, faster, and more convenient.
Different Types of Electronic Voting Machines
Two types of electronic voting equipment exist: Direct recording electronic (DRE) and Optical Scanning machines.
Direct Recording Machines (DRE)
A DRE consists of a touch screen connected to a computer system. Ballots are presented on the touch screen, where voters can choose and cast ballots.
The touch screen can assist a voter in various ways, like displaying clear fonts for a visual problem.
It also assists officials by alerting them of undervotes and preventing overvotes.
Direct Recording machines record the ballots and store the data in their storage space.
Therefore, this single machine is used for ballot composition, ballot casting, and recording of votes.
The machine’s hardware and software should be tested to ensure it works perfectly.
However, while testing for faults in hardware is highly reliable, the same cannot be said for the software.
Malicious software could interfere with voting and might not be detected before use.
Thus, several techniques are used to check the software to ensure it is not faulty or intercepted.
Even during the process, this machine could be intercepted. To prevent this, it is usually not connected to the Internet or a wireless device.
The threats these machines are exposed to make them less preferable to the optical scanning technology.
Features of Direct Recording machines
- A touchscreen to mark votes
- A device that registers individual votes after the voter casts it
- Optionally, it has a printer that generates a Voter Verifiable Audit Trial
- It has a communication device that transmits votes to the counting location
Optical Scanning Machines
The voter fills a paper ballot for some optical scanning machines and puts it into an electronic device.
These scanners reject improperly marked ballots, allowing voters to repeat the process and lessening discarded votes.
In other optical scanning systems, voters must compose their vote on a computer screen; once the voter completes a ballot, the computer prints out an optical scanning ballot.
The voter then verifies the printed ballot and puts it into a different device to scan and table the vote.
Features of Optical scanning machines;
- It has a character recognition technology that identifies the person voting.
- Interprets data correctly
Advantages of Electronic Voting
- Convenient voting
With the introduction of electronic voting, voters are saved from the stress of standing in a never-ending queue.
Electronic voting makes the process easy, allowing people to vote without delay.
In countries that use the Internet voting system, voters can cast their ballots from any location, which is more convenient for them.
It is also so much easier to use, not just for the voters but the electoral officers.
The machine does most of the data collection and counting, making it easier for the electoral body to record votes.
- Faster delivery of election results
Electronic voting machines make counting and sorting votes very easy and speed up the delivery of election results.
- Cost-effective
Another major advantage of e-voting is that it reduces expenses. Paper votes require people to count and transport them. With e-voting, this is no longer necessary, saving the costs of paying out so much to have votes counted.
- An error-free election
The EVMs are programmed to prevent errors by making each vote valid. Fewer human errors in voting build trust in election results.
- Increased voter turnout
When the process is easy, people would be encouraged to participate. Thus, the use of electronic voting equipment increases participation in voting.
Additionally, internet voting allows citizens abroad to participate in the voting process and makes it easy for people with visual impairments to cast their votes.
- Reduced waste
EVM has drastically reduced ballot waste as most processes now involve electronic devices.
Disadvantages of Electronic Voting Machine
Despite electronic voting machines’ advantages, they also have some drawbacks. Below are some of them.
- It can be easily hacked.
One of the major disadvantages of electronic voting is hacking. Like most electronic devices, it is highly likely to be hijacked and used for malicious purposes.
This can be done either by physical or remote means.
In addition, allowing people to vote with their phones poses a great risk. A hacker can easily access the votes without being detected.
- Susceptible to fraud
As with most voting systems, electronic votes can be manipulated by people with evil intentions.
Malicious systems programmed to falsify votes can be created and distributed to be used for votes.
- Hardware faults
Electronic voting machines can develop faults while in use. If one part of the machine is faulty, it automatically affects the functionality of other parts.
- Secure storage of votes
Votes cast using the machines are stored in a safe space in the computer machine memory. However, it contains redundant storage that is not dependable.
