ELETRONIC VOTING: Arguments Against

SOURCE/LINK: http://cs.stanford.edu/people/eroberts/cs201/projects/2006-07/electronic-voting/index_files/page0002.html

ELETRONIC VOTING

Arguments Against

Voting has progressed in technology from traditional days when voters dropped votes marked on a shell, shard of pottery, or card into a box to the current days where voting is controlled by electronics and the processes leading to the vote remain unseen to the human eye. Despite the change in method of voting, the basic facets of good voting tactics remain the same: ensuring one vote per voter, maintaining voter anonymity, accuracy of vote, security of the system, and prevention of fraud.

This is where the problem lies in many arguments against electronic voting � opponents do not feel that the voting basics can be maintained in an electronic voting system. The arguments have been divided into 3 general categories of complaints: issues with the technology, vast possibilities of fraud, and protection of voters and their votes.

As Bruce Schneier describes it, technology adds more steps to the process and thus increases the possibility of error with each additional step, all of which are largely unseen by the voter. Put Murphy�s Law of �whatever can go wrong, will go wrong� into play, and one can surmise that technology will most likely falter. Not only does the technology create more errors in the electronic workings, but the voters can also commit mistakes due to confusion with the user interface. The terminology is confusing, different machines produce different interfaces, and even the audio guides to help the disabled may prove more confusing than helpful.

With the advent of electronic machine voting also comes the higher possibilities of fraudulent machines and practices. First of all, the technology is �black box software,� meaning that the public is not allowed access into the software that controls the voting machines. Although companies protect their software to protect against fraud (and to beat back competition), this also leaves the public with no idea of how the voting software works. It would be simple for the company to manipulate the software to produce fraudulent results. Also, the vendors who market the machines are in competition with each other, and there is no guarantee that they are producing the machines in the best interest of the voters and the accuracy of the ballots.

Lastly, vote accuracy is also an issue, because voters have no way of confirming there vote, and there is also no way of conducting a recount with direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting. With DRE, there is no paper trail, no verification, and thus no scrutiny of the processes. Voter anonymity is also a problem. Voters have to provide much of their personal information to the systems for voter verification, and with that comes the problem of keeping voter information safe and keeping voters anonymous.

The cons against electronic voting laid out here are only some of the arguments against electronic voting. However, they are a good reflection of the ethical and technical concerns related to the issue of electronic voting.
http://cs.stanford.edu/people/eroberts/cs201/projects/2006-07/electronic-voting/index_files/image007.gif

sábado, 14 de março de 2015

Brazilian Social Democracy Party (PSDB)'s official statement on popular demonstrations given notice on March 15 throughout Brazil

SOURCE / LINK: http://www.psdb.org.br/nota-oficial-psdb-sobre-manifestacoes-populares-convocadas-para-o-dia-15-de-marco/

Brazilian Social Democracy Party (PSDB)'s official statement on popular demonstrations given notice on March 15 throughout Brazil
March 11, 2015


 The Party of Brazilian Social Democracy (PSDB) sympathizes with the Brazilian indignation of protests outside the glaring moral degradation and the economic and social disaster promoted by Rousseff’s government.
The PSDB defends the free expression of opinion and the right of expression of citizens and therefore supports the peaceful and democratic acts called for the next day March 15 across the country.
More than a constitutional guarantee, freedom of thought and criticism is essential foundation for strengthening democratic life and the social roots of republican values.
The PSDB repudiates the attitude of those who, on behalf of their party interests, and misrepresent curtail the right to free expression, and try to convince the population that the criticism of the rulers to be confused with attacks against the institutional order and the rule of law.
In fact, unlike some try to make believe, the protests taking place in social networks and on the streets do not defend the presidential election’s third round, but the rigorous investigation of responsibility for the endemic corruption ingrained in the body of the nation state, and demands the abandonment of public commitments with the population. These are legitimate expressions of a country that lives in full democratic state in terms of its positioning on a great number and serious crises.
We believe that public participation improves the institutions and raises public governance standards. Therefore, the PSDB, through its members, supporters and several of its leaders participate, Brazilian next to all regions of the country, this nonpartisan movement that arises from more legitimate sense of outrage of the Brazilian society.
The PSDB reiterates its commitment to all who want a stronger country, righteous, fair, supportive and democratic.
Senator Aécio Neves
National President of the PSDB
Senator Cassio Cunha Lima
Leader of the PSDB in the Senate
Mr Carlos Sampaio
PSDB leader in the House

==//==

PORTUGUESE VERSION

SOURCE/LINK: http://www.psdb.org.br/nota-oficial-psdb-sobre-manifestacoes-populares-convocadas-para-o-dia-15-de-marco/

Nota oficial do PSDB sobre as manifestações populares convocadas para o dia 15 de março
11 de março de 2015

O Partido da Social Democracia Brasileira (PSDB) se solidariza com as manifestações de indignação dos brasileiros diante da flagrante degradação moral e do desastre econômico-social promovidos pelo governo Dilma Rousseff.
O PSDB defende a livre manifestação de opinião e o direito à expressão dos cidadãos e, portanto, apoia os atos pacíficos e democráticos convocados para o próximo dia 15 de março em todo o país.
Mais do que uma garantia constitucional, a liberdade de pensamento e de crítica é fundamento essencial para o fortalecimento da vida democrática e o enraizamento social dos valores republicanos.
O PSDB repudia a atitude daqueles que, em nome de seus interesses partidários, cerceiam e deturpam o direito à livre manifestação, e tentam convencer a população de que a crítica aos governantes se confunde com atentados contra a ordem institucional e o Estado de Direito.
Na verdade, ao contrário de que alguns tentam fazer crer, os protestos que ocorrem nas redes sociais e nas ruas não defendem um terceiro turno, mas a rigorosa apuração de responsabilidades sobre a corrupção endêmica incrustrada no corpo do estado nacional, e cobra o abandono dos compromissos assumidos publicamente com a população. São manifestações legítimas de um país que vive em plena democracia e se posiciona perante múltiplas e graves crises.
Acreditamos que a participação popular melhora as instituições e eleva os padrões de governança pública. Por isso, o PSDB, através de seus militantes, simpatizantes e várias de suas lideranças participará, ao lado de brasileiros de todas as regiões do país, desse movimento apartidário que surge do mais legítimo sentimento de indignação da sociedade brasileira.
O PSDB reitera seu compromisso com todos os que desejam um país mais forte, íntegro, justo, solidário e democrático.
Senador Aécio Neves
Presidente Nacional do PSDB
Senador Cássio Cunha Lima
Líder do PSDB no Senado Federal
Deputado Carlos Sampaio
Líder do PSDB na Câmara dos Deputados

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