Academics, while generally positive about the benefits of implementing e-democracy, also have concerns about its workings.
There are concerns that the unequal access to the internet may accentuate the ‘digital divide’ between those people who have the internet and those who don’t. There is a concern therefore that those who can’t vote from home will have to go to public spaces such as libraries and internet cafes, where they could possibly allow other people at those places to have undue influence over those people – a situation which doesn’t arise in the traditional voting station, where voting procedures are rigidly adhered to (Rubin, 2000). This lack of control was a concern of the USA Federal Election Commission in the Arizona Democratic Primary election (Dixon, 2001: 5). Lawsuits were filed against the organisers of the Arizona Democratic Party nomination because of the inability of those without computers to vote (Dixon, 2001: 17). Even those computer owners who don’t have particular software may be unable to access the voting web site (Mercurio, 2003: 30). Electoral officials have been coming across this problem by having potential online voters register with the electoral authority, and have the correct software mailed out to them on a CD-ROM (Rubin, 2000).
Technology is guided by social change – where a need is created, technology will usually develop. In the voting arena, there is not great social impetus for change from the public (Bishop, Kane, Patapan, 2002: 66). E-voting was instituted in America because there was concern in the electorate of a repeat of voter uncertainty, which occurred in the 2000 election in Florida (O’Brien, 2004). Likewise, in the Australian Capital Territory, E-voting will help get results quicker from the complicated Hare-Clark system (Australian Capital Territory Government, 2004). Without that need for e-voting by voters, it is unlikely that the technology will be accepted by voters simply because it exists, particularly in a societal institution so heavily entrenched in society (Bishop et al, 2002: 66).
The costs of setting up the programs have been a major barrier in their acceptance by many governments. The initial costs of setting up either an online e-voting system or an electronic voting system at the polling booth would be considerable (Mercurio, 2003: 38). The program to facilitate e-voting would have to be bought, technical support would be required to answer voter questions and to monitor the success of the program, and the system would have to be updated regularly (Mercurio, 2003: 39). The set-up costs of either e-voting system could run into the millions (Mercurio, 2003: 38). However, one the system is up and running, the government will save money and ease the administration pressure of the current paper-based system (Mercurio, 2003: 47). Jurisdictions who use e-voting have reported substantial savings over the paper-based system, because there was less printed material sent out and less voter infrastructure is needed, such as setting up the polling booth (Mercurio, 2003: 48).
Ben Fraser 10:22, 29 Oct 2004 (EST)
7.30 Report, (2004, October 24) Presented by Kerry O’Brien. Brisbane: Australian Broadcasting Corporation. [Video recording: VHS]
Bishop, Kane, Patapan (2002) 'E-Democracy: Challenges to Democratic Theory ' Australian Parliamentary Review, vol 17(2) pp 55-68
Dixon, N (2001) E-Voting: Elections via the Internet? [Online] Available at: http://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/Parlib/Publications_pdfs/books/rbr0101nd.pdf. [Accessed 11 August 2004]
Mercurio, B (2003) ‘Overhauling Australian Democracy: The Benefits and Burdens of Internet Voting’ University of Tasmania Law Review, vol 21(2) pp23-65 [Online]. Available through the Informit database. [Accessed 7 August 2004]
Rubin, A (2000) Security Considerations for Remote Electronic Voting over the Internet [Online] Available: http://www.avirubin.com/e-voting.security.html [Accessed 11 August 2004]
For more information on these sources, see the Annotated Bibliography
Ben Fraser 10:26, 29 Oct 2004 (EST)
Ben Fraser 13:06, 26 Oct 2004 (EST)
Ben Fraser 13:05, 26 Oct 2004 (EST)
