By Mary Hoang
Daily Bruin Contributor
At a time when nearly every aspect of life has been relocated to
the Internet, one more task could soon find a place on the Web
““ voting.
Internet voting has recently become a hot topic in the state
legislature, but online voting systems have yet to be secure enough
to prevent fraud from occurring in a serious election.
Last week Gov. Gray Davis vetoed legislation that would have
created California’s first state-sponsored simulation of
Internet voting technology, citing security concerns.
But residents in four California counties will have the
opportunity to take part in an online voting test this week.
Electronic voting booths will be available at courthouses,
community centers and city halls in Contra Costa, Sacramento, San
Diego and San Mateo counties this week for the trial.
The California Internet Voting Task Force, commissioned by the
Secretary of State’s office and headed by Alfie Charles,
examined the feasibility of electronic voting.
A report published by the task force indicated technological
threats to the security, integrity and secrecy of Internet ballots
are significant, and that there is a real possibility of
“Virus” and “Trojan Horse” software
attacks. These threats could result in a number of problems ranging
from a denial of service to the submission of electronically
altered ballots.
“At this time, it would not be legally, practically or
fiscally feasible to develop a comprehensive remote Internet voting
system that would completely replace the current paper process used
for voter registration, voting and the collection of initiative,
referendum and recall petition signatures,” Charles said.
But at least two online voting companies ““ VoteHere.net
and Election.com ““ say they have developed
“hack-proof” software to ensure e-ballots will be as
secure as paper ballots.
According to the VoteHere.net Web site, it operates using Secure
Socket Layer protection currently used in e-commerce
transactions.
Arizona’s Democratic Party held its March primary election
with the opportunity to cast votes online with the help of
VoteHere.net.
In addition to security concerns, another problem with Internet
voting is access.
The digital divide, or gap between those who have Internet
access and those who don’t, means some people will not be
able to take advantage of the opportunity to vote online.
“We are trying different methods to close the divide and
make voting more accessible for everyone,” Charles said.
Though Internet voting has primarily been a national issue, on
the local level the city of Los Angeles is looking to implement
internet voting for city issues, but funding problems may hinder
the efforts.
“The city is always looking to stay on the cutting edge of
technology but there are not enough available funds within the
budget to pursue Internet voting at this time,” said Frank
Mateljan, press secretary for L.A. mayor Richard Riordan.
Some students said the option to vote on the Internet would help
increase voter turnout rates , especially among 18-25 year olds who
participate in activities over the Internet and are thus more
likely to be technologically savvy.
“Internet voting would be awesome, only if it were
completely secure,” said Bryan Matsumoto, a fifth-year design
student. “It would energize our entire population because it
can make voting so much easier and accessible.”