By Milan Wood
The idea that in this day and age we still have to put a pen to paper to vote seems outdated to me. Whether it is via postal vote or going to a polling station, voting still largely takes place using paper ballots. Why is technology not being used worldwide to encourage e-voting that fits in with the digital nature of our lives?
E-voting is an election system that electronically records submitted secret ballots by voters. Votes are stored in case they need to be re-counted and all data is encrypted to protect its integrity. E-voting is already in place in some countries: Estonia uses e-voting nationwide and others such as Brazil, India and the Philippines have partially used e-voting for national elections.
The current system of written ballots is inherently flawed. The ruckus in the US 2020 election over mail-in ballots causing widespread electoral fraud and ex-President Trump claiming grounds for recounts in states such as Wisconsin due to ‘irregularities’, highlights the skepticism around the validity of postal votes and why counting ballots is a difficult process where mistakes can be made. Additionally, the pandemic has made people even more hesitant to participate in person in fear of being exposed to the virus. These two issues combined show why the system needs to be modified to accommodate the modern voter.
Recently, I went to a polling station to vote for my local councillors in England for the first time. As a young voter, my experience with the system is fairly limited, but it did feel incredibly archaic. It was difficult to go in person due to school timings and having to stand in a booth ticking all of my options seemed like a recipe for disaster for an inexperienced or uneducated voter. Widespread use of e-voting could encourage people to become more politically informed, as they can access information about their election candidates at the same time as voting and make it more accessible for those at work or with previous engagements.
The two major issues with e-voting relate to the exclusion of minorities and lower social classes, and data security. 59.5% of the global population have access to internet, with a significant increase in wealthier countries such as Sweden and Denmark. If electoral systems were switched to mainly electronic means, this could severely disadvantage the portion of the electorate without internet connection or an electronic device – voting would become a privilege of the higher classes. The correlation between social class and ethnic minorities also comes into play. In the UK, nearly half of BAME households are living in poverty. Arguably the outcomes of such elections held using e-voting would be largely warped and not represent the views of the diverse population. The main goal of any democratic government should be to ensure legitimacy. Storing voting data also poses security risks. Despite progressions in technology and the potential use of blockchain to offer greater protection and transparency, fears remain about keeping data safe from hackers or other threats when using e-voting that could lead to or foster election fraud.
There is no doubt that there are some holes in the fabric of e-voting, but it is one solution to replace the outdated use of written ballots. The challenges facing e-voting can be solved and the benefits of implementing this system far outweigh the drawbacks.
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