Comments on: Elections Ontario Missed a Huge Opportunity

By: Jayg

Jayg — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 05:05:00 +0000

If you actually look at risk analysis models it is indeed true that mail-in ballots pose a greater risk that Internet ballots.nnAnd, having a robust electoral turnout is a key requirement to ensure elections live up to their purpose to provide legitimacy for government, representation for citizens, encourage political responsiveness, etc. Without a well functioning election process democracy is not considered to be in good health. Furthermore, democracy requires constant renewal and part and parcel of this is voter turnout in elections.nnThere are also features where scrutineers can may attention online, just as they would in polls. In fact, although changed, scruntineer powers are perhaps enhanced as a consequence of this for various reasons. Time to do some research before you make blanket claims.

By: Brian F. Kelcey

Brian F. Kelcey — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 04:51:00 +0000

I’m sorry, but with a fair # of campaigns under my belt and some experience working in neutral elections roles, I’ve got to laugh at your claim that mail-in voting is more insecure than internet voting. The distinction is easy for any experienced hack to see: voter fraud can be automated in the case of internet voting to expand a few bad votes into thousands, and the counts in an election w/ e-votes can never be properly scrutineered with existing technology. Mail-in fraud is also more easily isolated and reversed because ballots aren’t mixed in with the general poll.u00a0nnThe point that internet voting zealots always forget is that the most important part of the democratic process isn’t how many voters turn out, or getting a rapid count out on election night. It’s the part where the losing party’s scrutineers go home that night believing they were fairly beaten, when they could’ve gone home believing it was stolen instead.

By: Brian F. Kelcey

Brian F. Kelcey — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 04:51:00 +0000

By: Adam Froman

Adam Froman — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 19:30:00 +0000

You have a good point, but you are off point of my article. u00a0We used our omnibus study against our AskingCanadians panel which is, yes an Internet research panel, but it is representative of the Canadian population considering Internet penetration in Canada is around 80%. u00a0nn80% support is a pretty high number and simply validated all the other research thatu00a0we released in our DIG report based upon the research conducted by Nicole Goodman. u00a0Clearly, people want Internet Voting as an option to vote, and those that have tried it like it.But more importantly, your comment misses the point of my article. u00a0The survey validates the argument, but the real point is that there were 44 municipalities in Ontario who successfully implemented Internet Voting in 2010. u00a0Conducting an Internet Voting pilot was gift wrapped for Elections Ontario. u00a0Markham has implemented Internet voting in 3 consecutive elections, without an issues, so there is no excuse for Elections Ontario not offering it.And with 49% voter turnout in Canada’s largest province, why shouldn’t they offer Internet Voting as an additional option. u00a0Internet Voting is simply another option to provide to voters and it is much safer than mail in ballots.

By: Touchstones

Touchstones — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 16:38:00 +0000

Methodology is everything.u00a0 Conducting a “national” survey of Canadian opinion regarding Internet voting and getting a shopping 80% positive response is impressive until you find out that the survey was conducted… on the Internet and only on the Internet.