Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting system

Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting system

Further information: DRE voting machine
A direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machine records votes by means of a ballot display provided with mechanical or electro-optical components that can be activated by the voter (typically buttons or a touchscreen); that processes data with computer software; and that records voting data and ballot images in memory components. After the election it produces a tabulation of the voting data stored in a removable memory component and as printed copy. The system may also provide a means for transmitting individual ballots or vote totals to a central location for consolidating and reporting results from precincts at the central location. These systems use a precinct count method that tabulates ballots at the polling place. They typically tabulate ballots as they are cast and print the results after the close of polling.[3]
In 2002, in the United States, the Help America Vote Act mandated that one handicapped accessible voting system be provided per polling place, which most jurisdictions have chosen to satisfy with the use of DRE voting machines, some switching entirely over to DRE. In 2004, 28.9% of the registered voters in the United States used some type of direct recording electronic voting system, up from 7.7% in 1996.[4]

Paper-based electronic voting system

Paper-based electronic voting system

Sometimes called a "document ballot voting system," paper-based voting systems originated as a system where votes are cast and counted by hand, using paper ballots. With the advent of electronic tabulation came systems where paper cards or sheets could be marked by hand, but counted electronically. These systems included punch card voting, marksense and later digital pen voting systems.
Most recently, these systems can include an Electronic Ballot Marker (EBM), that allow voters to make their selections using an electronic input device, usually a touch screen system similar to a DRE. Systems including a ballot marking device can incorporate different forms of assistive technology.

Point and Click

Voting Photo courtesy Sequoia Pacific Voting Equipment. Some voters are already trying out touch-screen voting computers like this one. Americans live in a country that is heavily dependent on millions of computers. Obviously, you are aware of the impact of computers, since you are reading this over the Internet, but computers do more than just connect us to the World Wide Web. Almost everyone uses an ATM for a good portion of their bank transactions. Computers installed on gas pumps allow us to pay at the pump. We rely on computers to help us perform many everyday tasks, but there are still things we don't trust computers to do. And one of those tasks is voting. As the 2000 election plays out, many political pundits and techies argue that electronic voting, or e-voting, will prevent a lot of the problems that have put the presidential election on hold. The advantages of e-voting include: • Streamlining the voting process. • Preventing ballot errors and confusion. • Increasing national voter turnout.

Testing E-Voting

Technology Several states were taking a close look at e-voting even before election day 2000 -- but the aftermath of this year's presidential election could sway them toward implementing systems in time for the 2004 vote. You may be one of the few voters who took part in one of the various pilot e-voting programs around the country. The success or failure of these test programs will play a pivotal role in determining the future of e-voting. Approximately 350 military personnel stationed overseas, or in states far from their home polling precincts, are the first Americans to vote via the Internet. This voting program was run by the U.S. Department of Defense's Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP), and is expected to be a viable replacement for absentee or mail-in votes. These military personnel were given a certificate on a floppy disk, which was inserted in a computer. That information was paired with a similar certificate at their home county, allowing the personnel to log onto the system and vote.

Bridging the Digital

Divide Electronic voting is the first new election technology to be introduced in years. Of course, this change doesn't come without criticism. Traditionally, people are resistant to change, even if it offers an opportunity to simplifying their lives. And to be fair, e-voting does have its drawbacks. Here are just a few: Computers will disenfranchise the computer illiterate, including the elderly, the poor and minorities. It will be very difficult to verify voters' identities. Computers are susceptible to attacks by computer viruses and hackers. The digital divide is a rather new term, referring to the gap between the technology haves and have-nots. Those with computer knowledge are typically younger and more affluent than those who lack computer skills. The electronic voting system used in Riverside County has already drawn protests from minority groups who say that this computerized system intimidates voters who have limited access to computers. Studies show that whites and Asians are more computer savvy than blacks and Latinos, that younger voters have more computer knowledge than older voters and that those with money have more access to the Internet than those without money. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 poses the biggest legal barrier to e-voting. This act called for an end to discrimination against minorities in the election process, and prohibits some states from making changes to voting procedures without federal approval. The courts could declare computer-based or Internet voting a violation of this act.

Point and Click

Voting Photo courtesy Sequoia Pacific Voting Equipment. Some voters are already trying out touch-screen voting computers like this one. Americans live in a country that is heavily dependent on millions of computers. Obviously, you are aware of the impact of computers, since you are reading this over the Internet, but computers do more than just connect us to the World Wide Web. Almost everyone uses an ATM for a good portion of their bank transactions. Computers installed on gas pumps allow us to pay at the pump. We rely on computers to help us perform many everyday tasks, but there are still things we don't trust computers to do. And one of those tasks is voting. As the 2000 election plays out, many political pundits and techies argue that electronic voting, or e-voting, will prevent a lot of the problems that have put the presidential election on hold. The advantages of e-voting include: • Streamlining the voting process. • Preventing ballot errors and confusion. • Increasing national voter turnout. Most voters already use some sort of computerized voting system. Punch cards, like the ones used in the disputed Palm Beach County, Fla., precincts, are tallied by a computerized counting machine that detects the punched holes in a ballot.

Point and Click Voting
Americans live in a country that is heavily dependent on millions of computers. Obviously, you are aware of the impact of computers, since you are reading this over the Internet, but computers do more than just connect us to the World Wide Web. Almost everyone uses an ATM for a good portion of their bank transactions. Computers installed on gas pumps allow us to pay at the pump. We rely on computers to help us perform many everyday tasks, but there are still things we don't trust computers to do. And one of those tasks is voting. As the 2000 election plays out, many political pundits and techies argue that electronic voting, or e-voting, will prevent a lot of the problems that have put the presidential election on hold. The advantages of e-voting include:
Streamlining the voting process.
Preventing ballot errors and confusion.
Increasing national voter turnout.
Most voters already use some sort of computerized voting system. Punch cards, like the ones used in the disputed Palm Beach County, Fla., precincts, are tallied by a computerized counting machine that detects the punched holes in a ballot. This form of voting has been used since the 1960s. Optical scanners are used for those voting systems that use paper and pen, to detect pen marks made on a ballot. Optical scan vote counters are not as old as punch card technology, but they seem somewhat archaic compared to other technologies that we use everyday. For many, e-voting is the next logical step for elections.
In the punch card system, if you feed the same 100 ballots through the counting machine seven times, you get seven different vote counts. These inaccuracies are a problem when you are counting millions of ballots, and thousands or hundreds of votes can decide the election outcome. There are two e-voting technologies available that could streamline this process, and make counting ballots as easy as hitting a key on a computer keyboard.

Testing E-Voting Technology
Several states were taking a close look at e-voting even before election day 2000 -- but the aftermath of this year's presidential election could sway them toward implementing systems in time for the 2004 vote. You may be one of the few voters who took part in one of the various pilot e-voting programs around the country. The success or failure of these test programs will play a pivotal role in determining the future of e-voting.
Approximately 350 military personnel stationed overseas, or in states far from their home polling precincts, are the first Americans to vote via the Internet. This voting program was run by the U.S. Department of Defense's Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP), and is expected to be a viable replacement for absentee or mail-in votes. These military personnel were given a certificate on a floppy disk, which was inserted in a computer. That information was paired with a similar certificate at their home county, allowing the personnel to log onto the system and vote.