The technology developed during the 20th century and first years of the 21st century, particularly computer technology, has in many ways dramatically altered election administration and the way in which elections are conducted. While the basic election tasks of voter registration, voting and vote counting have conceptually remained the same since the beginnings of the modern democratic process, the organization of modern elections, nowadays, depend very much on technology.
It can be expected that new technologies have the potential to continue to change the way in which elections are conducted through the 21st Century.
While it is difficult to identify all changes that future technologies can bring to the organization of elections, some can already be predicted including:
The demise of the paper ballot
Paper ballots have served the election process well. They are relatively easy to produce, easy to mark and easy to count, but they can be quite expensive to print and distribute, they can only be used once, and they are not a particularly good use of resources.
Depending on the type of paper ballots used, they may not be considered the best method to record a vote and can be prone to fraudulent use such vote buying.
Counting paper ballots manually, although relatively reliable can prove to be cumbersome and prone to errors which, in turn can result into the need for multiple counts of the same ballots.
The development of cheap, easily delivered, reusable, reliable electronic voting methods may gradually replace the paper ballot in many countries.
The demise of the polling place
The physical polling place, that has to be rented, staffed and equipped, might become an expensive anachronism in many places where alternative and secure electronic delivery mechanisms can be used. The move to offer government facilities on line, on the internet and in public places may replace the need to organize a physical voting place.
The rise of electronic voting methods
As electronic devices become cheaper, more powerful and more secure, it can be expected that the use of a variety of inexpensive, reliable electronic voting methods accelerates and become more widely used.
Internet voting
While security and identity concerns has lead to caution toward the use of Internet voting, many countries are considering it seriously, for at least some elections, not only to make it easier for the voter but also in an effort to boost voting, since the end of the 20th century witnessed a tendency for voter absenteeism.
It can be expected that not before long these concerns can be answered and Internet voting will become safe, secure and widespread. The potential of the Internet to change the dynamics of both the election process and the wider political process should not be underestimated.
Internet referendums and initiatives
The widespread accessibility of the internet is already leading to the rise of so-called digital democracy, whereby ordinary citizens can vote directly on issues and legislative proposals. Many of these voting exercises are taken as indicative and not binding, but there are already some that are considered binding. In this way voters can be expected to take control of the political process in a manner that was not feasible before. Whether such tendency can turn out to be good for the democratic process is debatable.
Electronic identities
Electronic identity systems are being developed to ensure that citizens can participate in the new electronic world of commerce and government. As more and more daily activities such as paying bills and consulting bank accounts is done electronically, the need to secure reliable electronic identity systems pressure the development and implementation of country-wide and world-wide methods of uniquely identifying people by electronic means.
Electronic information delivery
The 20th century has often been described as the information age. Never before has so much information been readily accessible to ordinary people. It may be expected that the continuing development of the Internet and other electronic technologies leads to an ever increasing availability of information.
This may have a profound impact on the democratic process as the opportunities for information dissemination and retrieval expand beyond the traditional methods dominated by mainstream media. For election management bodies, the emerging electronic information service delivery methods can expand the options available for reaching voters and other clients with a wide range of information products.
Electronic service delivery
In addition to the opportunities of electronic service delivery for the voting process and for the provision of information, many other services provided by election management bodies have the potential to be provided electronically. Voter registration, political party registration, candidate nomination, disclosure of donations and expenditure, provision of expert advice, and other services provided by electoral authorities are already starting to be delivered electronically.
Wireless electronic infrastructure
The current technology uses might be regarded only fit to developed countries, but the first years of the 21st century have already witnessed an important advance on the use of new technologies by countries with weak infrastructures. Notable among all is the opportunities open by the development of wireless electronic infrastructure, delivered by satellite, microwave or radio transmission, which is already enabling electronic service delivery in many remote locations. Combined with cheap, mass-produced electronic registration and voting devices, such wireless electronic delivery systems can be expected to be able to help electronic voting systems to reach any person, anywhere in the world.
Remote service delivery
With electronic service delivery, there is no need for the service provider to be in the same suburb, city or even country as the user. A scenario can be envisaged whereby a local election management body can locate its office anywhere it is convenient for a variety of reasons and its services can be remotely delivered via Internet, wireless and satellite communications or by whatever new technology are invented to replace current technologies.
It really is a brave new electoral world.
