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Definition

Internet voting means

the casting of a secure and secret electronic ballot that is transmitted to election officials using the Internet."[1]

There are three types of Internet voting:

Advantages and drawbacks

There are a number of potential advantages to Internet voting, including:

  1. increased voter registration and turnout;
  2. reduced state costs to run and supervise elections;
  3. convenience; and
  4. efficiency.

Potential drawbacks to Internet voting include:

  1. the problems of the digital divide;
  2. security and fraud concerns;
  3. costs associated with creating a secure and functional system; and
  4. expanding current election laws to allow Internet voting.

Other forms of electronic voting

It is also important to distinguish between the various kinds of Internet voting and other forms of electronic voting, usually referred to as direct recording electronic (DRE) voting. In DRE voting, the balloting process is performed on an electronic voting machine that records and stores the votes internally. It is possible, however, to have these DRE machines send their counts electronically to a central site (typically through a direct dial-up connection but also possibly through a dedicated line). This performs much the same function as a polling place internet voting system, but without connecting to the Internet.

References

See also

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