This section we will discuss a variety of reasons for automating various parts of the electoral
process. In order to make the best use of technology in a given jurisdiction, it is important to
understand the motivations that are driving automation initiatives. It is also important to
remember that automation cannot solve all electoral problems. Indeed there are many situations
in which automation is not necessary or even useful.
One aspect that too often is neglected when discussing the pros and cons of election automation is the EMBs importance as educator of the representative democratic system. It is true that under certain conditions automation of the electoral process and the work of the EMB are valid. But we should not ignore the short-and long-term affect that having ordinary people involved in the electoral process has on the elections. By employing vast number of people as registrants and verifiers of signatures for candidates and parties; registration clerks of the voters' roll, and members of local election committees all over the country the EMB is reaching into a very large number of households in a country. What they learn during their training and experience in their work is shared and discussed with families and friends at dinner tables and social events for months leading up to election day. We sometimes tend to forget that in many countries, the EMBs are indirectly conveying a bulk of the voter education and voter information messages via their temporary employees. Hence, when introducing new technologies in an electoral process in emerging democracies resulting in a reduction of the workforce, we must be aware that the voter education and voter information budget have to be adjusted too.
Some common motivations for election automation include:
- saving money
- increasing the speed and efficiency of election-related tasks
- increasing the speed of obtaining election results
- improving the accuracy of election results
- improving the ability to identify and prevent fraud
- improving public confidence in the electoral process
- demonstrating 'high-tech' capabilities32
Saving Money
Election automation can potentially save money by reducing labor costs associated with an
election. Cost savings can be realised through automated vote counting as well as automating
other election-related tasks. In the future systems that let voters vote from home, business, or
public-access computers may reduce costs associated with setting up and staffing polling
locations.
However, it is important for election administrators to do a comprehensive cost analysis before
assuming that automation will save them money. Automation may require a significant initial
investment in computer hardware and software as well as expenses to train election personnel
and educate voters. Computer equipment will require ongoing maintenance and will need to be
periodically upgraded or replaced. Computers that are used only on election day will need to be
safely stored between elections. And equipment may need to be transported from storage to
voting and tallying sites on election day.
Increasing the Speed and Efficiency of Electoral Tasks
At various stages of the electoral process, election administrators are required to handle large quantities of data, and under tight deadlines. Therefore they should constantly be on the lookout for potential improvements. There are a variety of tools that can increase the speed and efficiency of election-related tasks.
Vendors offer technology solutions that can:
- automate election planning, managing, budgeting, and record keeping
- draw precinct boundaries and assign voters to precincts
- verify and count signatures on petitions
- provide information to candidates, parties, and voters
- monitor and prepare reports on campaign contributions and spending
- register voters and create voter identification cards
- authenticate voters at voting sites
- manage absentee voting, including verifying signatures on absentee ballot envelopes
- record votes, count ballots, and transmit local tallies to central tallying facilities
- disseminate election results33
Increasing the Speed of Obtaining Election Results
Election automation can greatly reduce the time it takes to count ballots and obtain election
results. If voters enter their votes directly into a computer or ballots are tallied at precinct
locations, precinct tallies may be automatically transferred to tallying centers and results
obtained almost immediately after the polls close. Even if ballots are not tallied locally,
automated methods of ballot counting provide great time savings over hand counting.
Improving the Accuracy of Election Results
One of the core issues resulting in heated discussions in the courtrooms and TV studios in the US in the end of 2000 was the accuracy of the various counting techniques employed in the different counties. President George W. Bush's Director of Communication argued that hand counting votes was not a reliable method, and should be discouraged. Too much subjectivity was involved in that process, and therefore machine counts should be used, it was alleged.
In order for technical machines to live up to our high expectation they however must be thoroughly tested and maintained, and the administrators and voters using them must be adequately trained in order to operate them correctly. If this is the case, then machines could potentially be able to provide more accurate results than can be provided by hand-counted ballots. Furthermore, when voters enter their votes directly into a computer, inaccuracies introduced as a result of voters' unclear ballot marks can be eliminated. It is important to remember, however, that problems with computer hardware or software may also introduce extensive errors.
Improving the Ability to Identify and Prevent Fraud
Automated systems can reduce opportunities for some kinds of election fraud. Fraud may be
reduced if voted ballots need not be physically transported, if computerised voter registration
logs make it easier to identify people who should not be registered or who attempt to vote using
someone else's registration, or if all computer system accesses are thoroughly logged. Of course,
computerised voting opens up opportunities for new types of voting fraud. Computer files can be destroyed due to viruses or erased by hackers. In addition, it is much more difficult for local and international observers to verify and control that data has not been manipulated. Thus, it is essential
that extensive precautions be taken.
Improving Public Confidence in the Electoral Process
If members of the public trust technology and believe that its use will prevent fraud, they may
have more confidence in the electoral process. If people distrust technology, however, or if
technology used in an election proves difficult to use or fails, people are likely to lose
confidence in the electoral process.
Demonstrating 'High-Tech' Capabilities
Many elected officials are enthusiastic about computerised voting simply because they want to
project a 'high-tech' image for their administration or for their state or country. This is not a
good reason for automation if it is the only one for automation. When accompanied by other
reasons, however, this motivation may help drive financial allocations and legislation that might
be necessary to realise election automation.
