Right to vote vs. right to secrecy (Missouri's military email/fax voting)

[Khephra]

WASHINGTON — Missouri's recently announced plan to allow combat-zone soldiers to vote by e-mail has triggered concerns among voting experts over the secrecy and security of those ballots.

They said the system, which would use both e-mail and fax machines to get ballots from military service people in such places as Iraq and Afghanistan back to local election offices in Missouri, could be subject to hacking, viruses and other chicanery because they would not be encrypted.

“These machines are highly vulnerable,” said Barbara Simons, a member of the nonpartisan National Committee for Voting Integrity and a former president of the Association for Computing Machinery. “We could have a virus that changes ballots and then erases itself. It's certainly feasible technically.”

In addition, voting-rights advocates and other political experts said because the system required that ballots be identified by the voters' names for validation purposes, and because they were handled by others several steps along the way, that people serving in the military would lose the right to a secret ballot.

http://www.montereyherald.com/mld/montereyherald/news/politics/9600636.htm

[wtmusic]

1. Why is this even being considered?

It is unf*ckingbelievable that a breach of security of this magnitude has even made it this far.

Missouri elections officials are morons.

[RayOfHope]

3. Lets blame Matt Blunt

Who is MO's SOS. Also the head of BC04 camp here. He's doing everything he can to f*ck up this election. You're right, he is a moron (and running for gov).

And they'll allow voting by email, but won't allow early voting in St. Louis, even tho StL has money set aside for it.

I hate this guy.

[wtmusic]

4. thanks for the info

and welcome to DU

:bounce: :toast: :bounce:

[faithnotgreed]

2. it has been said by missouri reporters that this is crucial bush state

a state that he & cheney have visited i believe more than any other since they were selected

so it looks like that is why missouri is considering this voting travesty

[Boredtodeath]

5. This is OPTIONAL

I'm sorry, but the bottom line is simple - if the voter understands that his secrecy is lost by voting this way, why is it our problem?

Is anyone who is being asked to vote this way filing a lawsuit?

Is anyone who is being asked to vote this way voicing concern?

Aren't there other options, like mailing in your ballot, if you want secrecy and protection?

Folks, I don't see why we're worried about this. If you won't cast your ballot this way, why are we raising a stink?

I would never cast a ballot this way, but that's my choice. I consider this a really stupid idea, but that, too, is my choice.

Any second now, republicans are going to start screaming that we're trying to deny the military the right to vote.

This is no win.

[RayOfHope]

6. But the article says

that nearly one third of those overseas who requested Missouri absentee ballots for the 2000 elections didnt get them in time. Also this quote: "He was responding to the fact that the ballots of numerous service people who used the mail to vote in the Missouri primary last month didn't get counted because of delays and other problems."

I can see military personnel choosing email voting over mailing them in, can't you?

I'm raising a stink because I don't think its a good option. I'm getting ready to write LTTE and also email the SOS office. I'm not voting this by email, but you can bet emailing votes and possible bogus results sure could affect me (I live in MO).

[Boredtodeath]

8. Yes, I can see it, but

That's the choice they'll be making. And, THAT, is my point.

These are voters who are of decision making age, participating in representative democracy. If they choose to vote this way, and it's legal, we have no right to deny them that choice.

Sure the choice sucks. Sure it's a damned stupid way to vote. But that is beside the point.

You're taking the approach the republicans took in Palm Beach County - if they're too stupid to avoid voting this way, then don't let them vote.

I think it's wrong for us to take that approach.

[RayOfHope]

10. Pardon me?

You put quite a few words in my mouth. Where on earth did I insinuate they were too stupid to vote? GMAFB.

If a soldier requests an absentee ballot by mail but doesn't receive it in time, they are left with no choice but to vote by email. Its not a great choice, and there should be a better option, period.

[Love Bug]

7. Were you in the military?

If so, have you forgotten the pressure to conform and how not conforming can be used against you? GIs in Iraq and Afganistan have enough to worry about without wondering about whether or not their vote for the "right" candidate will be used against them re promotion, etc., by higherups in the chain of command.

Just because we don't have to vote this way doesn't mean we shouldn't be concerned. We should all be concerned whenever the right to vote secretly is threatened, especially by those who don't think twice about cheating.

[Boredtodeath]

9. See my post #8 n/t

.