SA - e-voting systems.

[Hemi300c]

Rahima Essop | 2 hours ago

CAPE TOWN - Snaking queues in the hot sun are often a key feature of local government and national elections - but that could soon change.

An information, communications and technology (ICT) expert on Monday said South Africa will benefit from electronic voting.

But the main issue is, when will the country be ready?

Surendra Thakur was commissioned by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) to do research on e-voting systems.

He briefed a seminar in Cape Town on his findings.

Thakur seemed reluctant to give a definitive response when asked whether South Africa should change to an electronic voting system.

“I can take any position and defend it for a very long time. I do support electronic voting; I really think that it will be useful in the context of South Africa. The issue is when.”
The disadvantages include concerns about the security of data, while a key advantage is the fast and accurate counting of votes.

IEC Chairperson Pansy Tlakula said the recent elections in Kenya have shown what can happen when technology fails.

She said the commission has yet to decide on whether to adopt electronic voting.

Comment:
I wouldn't trust the cANCer not to corrupt it.

 

[Heisenborg]

The cANCer would definitely not endorse this. The majority white middle class dont care to stand in the sun for hours to pass a vote. If they were able to sit at their desks at work to do it then you will see a big increase in DA votes for example.

Thats my narrow minded view on it.

 

[sox63]

I prefer the paper system. A huge logistics challenge, but with obeservers at every counting station, its a better system than votes going into a system and the system declaring a winner.

Far too many people in the software development, implementation and admin process could be corrupted to alter the results...

 

[saksakgp]

I don't think e-voting in this context means voting via the internet or remotely. There will be a voting booth with a touch screen and you finger the candidate you like.

They should run paper based and e-voting simultaneously for the next 4-5 elections but make it clear that only the paper based vote counts while the e-vote will be used to reconcile the manual count as well as being viewed as research. This will get the voter base used to fingering their favourite.

I remember the ANC 2007 conference.

"Comrade Terror on a point of order"
"No! What is out of order?"
"Comrade Terror we want manual counting"
"Comrades the ANC and the IEC have reached a resolution to count the votes electronically"
"On a point of order comrade chairperson, we want manual counting"

Th ANCYL went on and on demanding manual counting of the votes. I think they finaly settled on manually counting for the top six positions and electronically counting the NEC list votes.

 

[JungleBoy]

I don't think e-voting in this context means voting via the internet or remotely. There will be a voting booth with a touch screen and you finger the candidate you like.

They should run paper based and e-voting simultaneously for the next 4-5 elections but make it clear that only the paper based vote counts while the e-vote will be used to reconcile the manual count as well as being viewed as research. This will get the voter base used to fingering their favourite.

I remember the ANC 2007 conference.

"Comrade Terror on a point of order"
"No! What is out of order?"
"Comrade Terror we want manual counting"
"Comrades the ANC and the IEC have reached a resolution to count the votes electronically"
"On a point of order comrade chairperson, we want manual counting"

Th ANCYL went on and on demanding manual counting of the votes. I think they finaly settled on manually counting for the top six positions and electronically counting the NEC list votes.

I'd rather abstain

 

[cr@zydude]

I prefer the paper system. A huge logistics challenge, but with obeservers at every counting station, its a better system than votes going into a system and the system declaring a winner.

Far too many people in the software development, implementation and admin process could be corrupted to alter the results...

I'd also be against electronic voting. I think that the UK or Ireland actually switch back to paper votes due to concerns.

 

[Cool E]

I wouldn't trust DA.

 

[krycor]

Paper vote system is the only way to track back.. but even then there are irregularities. e-votes are too easily manipulated.. besides imagine the tender process given the news lately..

 

[Garson007]

I fully support e-voting.

 

[Paul Hjul]

A proper electronic voting system is one which is designed to fully and completely replicate the conditions of a voting station. Each ballot entry needs to be retained until destruction, voting must be done at the voting station on a closed voters roll and so on.

In the end the logistics of an electronic system are pretty big if it is done properly although it does involve less trees being cut down. Unfortunately you can't run two electoral systems in parallel because of voters voting differently in the systems - sometimes for ****s and giggles.

 

[2026]

I wouldn't trust DA.

You shouldn't trust any political party with the development of voting system, thats why the IEC exists. Problem is that the governing party can have the strongest influence on "independent" commissions.