Many applications of technology used for electoral purposes involve communications technology. In some cases, communications are an end in themselves, such as telephone or radio. In other cases, communications are a means to an end, such as connecting a computer system by cables.
There are several different types of communications technology. These include:
- Telecommunications, using fixed lines or broadcast signals to transmit voice, faxes, images and data
- Radio systems, including general public broadcast radio and person-to-person radio communication
- Computer networks, including Local Area Networks (LANs), Wide Area Networks (WANs), Intranets and Extranets, connecting various groups of computers together for sharing of data and communication purposes
- The Internet, connecting computers all over the world
- Email, allowing messages, images and data to be sent around the world from computer to computer
The following topics in this section cover the various aspects of communications technology in the electoral environment.
