Arab Spring, Version 2.0 [Egypt Votes]

Arab Spring, Version 2.0

As Egyptians took to the polls in the first free elections of their lifetimes, "Egypt Votes" gave them a chance to share their experiences and observations, not just within the gated neighborhoods of their own Facebook friends and Twitter followers, but with untold millions of Egyptians, worldwide. --->>>

Colorado Open Records Act (CORA) and election integrity

Traceable ballots could sabotage Colorado elections in 2012
By Teresa L. Benns

As Colorado shapes up to be a swing state during the 2012 General Election, suggested changes to Secretary of State (SOS) rules governing election integrity and transparency could further endanger Coloradoans’ rights to an anonymous ballot and honest elections. --->>>

Internet Identity Releases Its Top 5 Enterprise IT Security Predictions for the Coming Year (Press Release)

Online Voting, London Olympics and Infrastructure Cyber Attacks Top IID Internet Security Threats for 2012

IID (Internet Identity), a provider of technology and services that help organizations secure their Internet presence, today released its predictions of the top Internet security trends for 2011. Highlighted areas of concern surround online voting, the London Summer Olympics and exploits of enterprise infrastructure.

"Cyber criminals have gotten much smarter about capitalizing on current events to swindle victims. In this sense, cyber criminals are acting just as much like psychologists and pollsters as thieves," said IID president and CTO Rod Rasmussen. "In 2012, there are several events that cybercriminals have had years to prepare for." --->>>

Scytl Unveils Secure Voting on Tablet Computers

Scytl Unveils Secure Voting on Tablet Computers

BALTIMORE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--  Scytl’s electronic ballot delivery solution, is now available for tablet computers.

The solution complies with the highest security standards required for voting --->>>

Missouri: Researchers look into mobile, online voting

Researchers look into mobile, online voting

A team of Missouri researchers will use a $740,000 federal grant to study online voting systems by overseas military troops and absentee voters who are out of the country during elections.

The Department of Defense grant will fund research into internet-based and mobile phone voting applications. --->>>

UK Voter Registration [Guardian]

Millions aren't registered to vote. Will the government's bill help matters?

New registration systems must be introduced with care if the electoral registers are to accurately represent the nation's voters. --->>>

Edmonton: City jumps into cyberspace with E-voting pilot initiative

City jumps into cyberspace with E-voting pilot initiative

Edmonton could see a pilot program to test Internet voting in the next civic election, officials say. --->>>

Also: City to meet with province on e-voting

Electoral commission registers e-voting uptick in NSW by-election

Electoral commission registers e-voting uptick in NSW by-election
Users of the NSWEC’s iVote system doubled in the Clarence electorate

Record numbers of NSW voters used the state electoral commission’s e-voting system, iVote, to cast their ballot in the recent by-election for the seat of Clarence. The number of voters who employed iVote in the electorate more than doubled compared to the March state election.

The iVote system was established by the NSW Electoral Commission’s (NSWEC) for blind, vision-impaired and disabled voters, as well as those living in remote areas and out of state on the day. It was first slated in June 2010 and used in the state election earlier, with more than triple the number of expected voters casting an e-ballot with the system. --->>>

Voter Turnout: Thinking Outside the (Ballot) Box

Voter Turnout: Thinking Outside the (Ballot) Box

Online voting alone won’t resolve the deficiencies in Canada’s electoral system, but new media holds great promise. --->>>

Edmonton, Alberta: City considers e-voting option

City considers e-voting option

The city is looking at the possibility of electronic voting in the next Edmonton civic election.

E-voting, which can mean casting ballots through the Internet or over the telephone, has been tried over the last decade in other parts of Canada and several European countries.

Staff expect to come up with proposals by next fall on options, including electronic ballots and touch screens, to properly prepare for e-voting in the 2013 election. --->>>

NZ: Online voting to boost turnout: Greens

Online voting to boost turnout: Greens

The Green Party wants parliament to consider online enrolment and voting for future elections, after a record low turnout for last month's election.

The final election results, released on Saturday, show only 74 per cent of enrolled voters cast a vote in last month's general election, down from 79 per cent in 2008.

Following the election, the Green Party called for parliament's justice and electoral select committee to look at why voter turnout was so low as part of its regular post-election inquiry.

The Greens have since undertaken an informal online survey, asking people what would make them more inclined to enrol or vote. --->>>

Elections Canada Releases the Results of the National Youth Survey

Youth split on reasons they aren't voting says Elections Canada study

A new study suggests young Canadians who say they can't get to the polls may actually mean they don't want to.

The Elections Canada National Youth Survey found that 64 per cent of people age 18-34 said the reason they didn't vote in the May 2011 election was due to issues with access.

But drilling down into the data reveals that those who say that school or work or family obligations get in the way of going to the polling station may be using that as an excuse, Elections Canada researcher Miriam Lapp said. --->>>


Press Release:
Elections Canada Releases the Results of the National Youth Survey

Chief Electoral Officer of Canada Marc Mayrand today released the results of Elections Canada's National Youth Survey, a study of youth and young adult participation in the 2011 federal election.

The survey reveals the important role that politicians and families play; youth who were contacted directly by candidates or political parties, or who discussed politics with their families, were more likely to vote. It also underscores the importance of political knowledge and interest in the decision to vote, reinforcing previous findings on the positive impact of civic education.

"This survey shows that when young people are interested and engaged in politics, they are more likely to vote. I believe that all of us - teachers, parents and politicians - have a role to play in fostering interest among young voters in participating in our democratic process and institutions," said Mr. Mayrand. --->>>

View Report

BC backs online voting trials

B.C. electoral officer calls for reforms to engage youth

Elections BC wants to test online voting and register people younger in an effort to make the provincial electoral system more efficient, modern and attractive to voters.

Chief Electoral Officer Keith Archer makes four recommendations to change the B.C. Election Act in a report tabled on Monday in the B.C. legislature. --->>>

also-

Province backs online voting trials

B.C. could soon be testing Internet voting after a formal request to try the idea received a verbal endorsement from the provincial government Monday.

Elections B.C. wants permission to run pilot projects on online voting and other new technologies, chief electoral officer Keith Archer said in a report tabled in the legislature. --->>>

and -

See Elections B.C. Report

NLRB to Consider Speedier Union Votes

NLRB to Consider Speedier Union Votes

National Labor Relations Board Chairman Mark Pearce has scheduled a Nov. 30 vote on a scaled-back version of a controversial proposal that would speed up union-organizing elections. --->>>

also -

Labor board rushing to approve new rules by year end to speed up union elections

The board announced Friday that it plans to hold a public vote on Nov. 30. Its Democratic majority is expected to approve a plan that could dramatically shorten the time frame for union elections. --->>>

Ranked Choice Voting Elections in 6 Cities - Huffington Post

Real Choices: Ranked Choice Voting Elections in 6 Cities

This month many Americans had a chance to vote in state and local elections. FairVote was particularly focused on the first-ever use of ranked choice voting (RCV, or "instant runoff voting") in Maine's biggest city of Portland, along with RCV elections in St. Paul (MN), San Francisco (CA), Cambridge (MA), Telluride (CO) and Takoma Park (MD). --->>>

Spain: Indra Sistemas SA to undertake technology deployment for the general elections on November 20th

Spain: Indra Sistemas SA to undertake technology deployment for the general elections on November 20th

The Ministry of Interior awarded Indra, the premier IT Company in Spain and a leading IT multinational in Europe, the technology deployment for the provisional scrutiny of the general elections to be held on November 20th. --->>>

Internet voting: Exactly what the 99% needs

Internet voting: Exactly what the 99% needs

Why is internet voting so slow to take off? Security is one aspect — after 100 years of refining the paper-and-pen approach, it’s understandable that some states would be apprehensive about switching to that terrifying, publicly-owned entity that is the internet — but as Estonia has shown, with ID cards that also act as public key encryption smart cards, it’s possible to create a secure internet voting platform. --->>>

Military, overseas voting tech to get boost from grants

Military, overseas voting tech to get boost from grants

Technology to make registering to vote and receiving ballots easier for U.S. service members and Americans living abroad will be getting support from federal government grants, Government Technology reports.

The first six Defense Department grants, part of the Electronic Absentee Systems for Elections program, were announced Nov. 3. The states of Virginia, Maryland and Ohio, as well as El Dorado and Santa Cruz counties in California and King County, Wash., are the first six recipients of the grants, worth more than $7 million. Government Technology reports that jurisdictions receiving the initial six grants serve 134,585 military and overseas voters.

The grant money will go toward the development of electronic systems that will allow service members and other Americans living abroad to cast their votes on time. According to a news release from the Federal Voting Assistance Program, this includes systems that allow for online voter registration, requests for absentee ballots, and delivery of blank ballots. The FVAP release adds that none of the money would go toward developing systems that actually transmit ballots electronically, except in the case of mock elections. --->>>

Can internet voting boost turnout without risk?

Can internet voting boost turnout without risk?

Since various appeals to democratic principles have failed to move people off their couches to vote, some governments are considering internet voting to try and increase voter turnout. --->>>

Why can't Americans vote online? CNN

Why can't Americans vote online? CNN

In an era when virtually every daily task can be done on the Internet, why can't we vote online, too? The answer depends on whom you ask.

Advocates say the time is right to seriously consider letting voters cast a ballot from the comfort of their homes or even on the screens of their mobile phones.

But critics, many of them in the cybersecurity world, argue that letting people cast votes from their home computers is a recipe for chaos. --->>>

The Voter Fraud Fraud - New York Times (Andrew Rosenthal)

The Voter Fraud Fraud

By Andrew Rosenthal

Even in this cynical era of the politics of fear, obstruction and exclusion, I am surprised at the lengths to which some groups will go to put up barriers to voting. --->>>

Researchers propose simple fix to thwart e-voting attack

Researchers propose simple fix to thwart e-voting attack

Researchers have devised a simple procedure that can be added to many electronic voting machine routines to reduce the success of insider attacks that attempt to alter results.

The approach, laid out in a short research paper (PDF), augments the effectiveness of end-to-end verifiable election systems, such as the Scantegrity and the MarkPledge. They're designed to generate results that can be checked by anyone, by giving each voter a receipt that contains a cryptographic hash of the ballot contents. --->>>

See also: E-voting remains insecure, despite paper trail

Microsoft Research has revealed a potential flaw in verifiable e-voting machines through which fraudsters could easily use discarded ballot receipts as a guide for altering votes. Fortunately, the researchers also offered a solution -- linking new receipts to previous ones with cryptographic hashes -- but that alone won't make e-voting entirely secure, they cautioned. --->>>

Bulgaria's Greens party has officially requested the annulment of the election results

Bulgaria's Greens party has officially requested the annulment of the election results in the capital Sofia by submitting a claim with the Sofia Administrative Court.

The move came in the aftermath of another claim, submitted with the Central Electoral Commission (CEC) on Election Day, which was left without a response.

The left-wing Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) also announced they were considering a similar claim. --->>>

Online Voting: Security Issues Remain A Major Hurdle - The Hartford Courant

Online Voting: Security Issues Remain A Major Hurdle

Allowing citizens to cast ballots online would increase participation in elections and make democracy more accessible.

But don't expect to vote on your iPhone in Connecticut anytime soon; the technology just isn't there to ensure secure elections, said several experts who participated in a panel discussion at Central Connecticut State University Thursday night hosted by Secretary of the State Denise Merrill. --->>>

Chaos Reported at Bulgaria's Voting Polls on Election Day

Chaos Reported at Bulgaria's Voting Polls on Election Day

Utter chaos and confusion have ruled a large number of voting polls across Bulgaria Sunday, which was the day of presidential and local elections.

The Bulgarian National Television, BNT, reported about disarray, long lines and people passing out at voting sections in the capital Sofia. The same information has arrived from the Black Sea city of Burgas.

BNT also aired a video showing members of electoral commissions in Sofia going home with ballots that they did not account for. They have explained it with outrage from poor organization on the part of the Regional Electoral Commission making them stay until 3 am in voting polls and then wait for hours to sign off and deliver their protocols. They have also threatened that they would not return to work next Sunday when runoff elections are to be held at many locations. --->>>

Bulgaria: Why do citizens sell their vote?

Why do citizens sell their vote?

This weekend Bulgaria holds its presidential and local elections. Diana Kovatcheva, Executive Director of Transparency International Bulgaria, writes about their new report that has been making waves with concerns that vote-buying is an all too common practice.

Transparency International Bulgaria has been monitoring the transparency of election campaigns for ten years (see our last report here). During this time we have seen that attempts to manipulate elections’ results through vote buying, corporate pressure over voters and other illicit tactics are all too common. The survey we carried out this October and published this week shows that many Bulgarians also feel that their elections are tarnished by corrupt practices. --->>>

Widespread claims of vote-buying in Bulgaria

Widespread claims of vote-buying in Bulgaria

SOFIA, Oct 24 - Widespread allegations of vote-buying and pressure on minorities, even if largely unproven, marred Bulgaria's presidential and local elections, international observers said Monday.

"Vote-buying is extremely difficult to observe and to prove and we do not have any true evidence," OSCE mission chief Vadim Zhdanovic told a press conference.

"But regardless of the veracity of the allegations of vote-buying, the fact that they are so persistent and widespread concerns us because it undermines public trust in the election process," he added. --->>>

Vancouver online voting pilot nixed by province: CBC News

Vancouver online voting pilot nixed by province: CBC News

A pilot program for online municipal election voting in Vancouver won't get off the ground in time for the upcoming civic election.

Earlier this year, Vancouver city council passed a resolution to set up online voting for the advance polls of this year's municipal election on Nov. 19, which would have allowed eligible voters to cast a ballot by home or mobile computer.

However, the city needed provincial approval to get the program up and running — and the province says there's not enough time to ensure a fair and accurate process is in place. --->>>

Also see: No e-voting for Vancouver, at least until 2014

"E-voting, as you know, was a no-go this time around," Mackenzie notes. "The city was quite keen on it. The whole purpose was to increase votes. But it hinged on approval from the province and Victoria didn't feel comfortable enough to proceed." --->>>

Military voting increased last year, report finds

Military voting increased last year, report finds

Buoyed by a new law that requires states to make absentee ballots more accessible to military personnel serving overseas, troops voted at a higher rate than the general population in last year’s midterm elections, according to a new report.

Overall, 46 percent of the military cast ballots, a 21 percent increase from the 2006 midterms and slightly higher than the 45.5 percent of the general population that voted last year, according to a report released Tuesday by the Federal Voting Assistance Program. --->>>

Voting system affects outcome, simulation finds

Voting system affects outcome, simulation finds

A simulated election that examined different voting methods during last week's Ontario election shows that for at least some voters, how they cast their ballot depends on the voting system presented to them. --->>>

The alarming decline in voter turnout - Globe and Mail

The alarming decline in voter turnout

This year’s spate of federal, provincial and territorial elections has made one thing abundantly clear: Turnout virtually everywhere is dropping like a stone. --->>>

Addressing voter indifference

Premier considering implementing e-balloting to boost turnout in provincial elections.

Manitoba Premier Greg Selinger is vowing to do what he can to improve voter turnout in provincial elections and he is casting his eyes towards the World Wide Web.
A week after he led the NDP to a fourth consecutive majority government, Selinger says turnout in the 2011 provincial election was just not high enough and he wants to do something about it.
"We have to undertake something," said Selinger. "We're going to take a look at e-voting."

Survey: Widespread Internet voting still far from reality

Survey: Widespread Internet voting still far from reality

A federal survey of early Internet voting programs in developed countries around the globe may have raised more questions than it provided answers.

The survey by the Voting System Testing and Certification Division of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, released in September, found a wide range of processes and methodologies in locales attempting Internet voting. Most of the projects reviewed were limited, short-term tests of technologies and risks. --->>>

Download Survey Report

Voting alternatives discussed as Ontario election approaches

Voting alternatives discussed as Ontario election approaches

U of M researchers' virtual election simulation examines alternative and proportional models, excludes mixed-member proportional

TORONTO (CUP) — As the Ontario provincial election approaches, a team of researchers are offering alternatives to the current voting system in an online election simulator. --->>>

New voting restrictions affect millions

New voting restrictions affect millions

NEW YORK, Oct. 3 (UPI) -- More than 5 million Americans will face new restrictions on voting passed by more than a dozen states, a study released Monday said.

The restrictions will have the greatest impact on young, minority, low-income and disabled voters, the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law found. --->>>

Setting the record straight on internet voting

Setting the record straight on internet voting

OTTAWA, ON, October 2, 2011/Troy Media/ – There is a lot of negative talk surrounding Internet voting. While some of these concerns are genuine and should be taken very seriously, others are a consequence of misinformation and a lack of research. This is a response to Phil Elder’s recent column outlining a case against Internet ballots. --->>>

Philippines - Comelec execs to campaign abroad for absentee voting

Comelec execs to campaign abroad for absentee voting

MANILA, Philippines—Members of the Commission on Elections will embark on a “tour” of countries with many Filipinos to convince them to register as overseas absentee voters for the 2013 mid-term polls. --->>>

B.C. is on-board for online voting, but municipal delegates are dubious

B.C. is on-board for online voting, but municipal delegates are dubious

The provincial government wants to bring in online voting for municipal elections as early as 2014, but has to change legislation first, Community, Sport and Cultural Development Minister Ida Chong said Wednesday.

Speaking to reporters at the Union of B.C. Municipalities Convention in Vancouver, Chong said both she and Premier Christy Clark support the concept of voting over the Internet. --->>>

Online elections sought by B.C. municipalities

Online elections sought by B.C. municipalities

B.C. could have online voting in municipal elections as soon as 2014. B.C. could have online voting in municipal elections as soon as 2014. (CBC)

B.C. municipal leaders have endorsed the idea of online voting for the 2014 municipal elections — but debate on the issue has revealed deep divisions within the Union of B.C. Municipalities at its convention in Vancouver.

A majority voted Wednesday to ask the province to do the work required to have online voting ready for the elections in three years. --->>>

Google to cooperate with Egyptian government in upcoming elections

Google to cooperate with Egyptian government in upcoming elections

Government may use Google technology for the upcoming elections' logistics. e-voting is not however foreseen.

'Election API' service will allow voters to access voting and candidate information from their PCs and mobile phones. --->>>

Returning officer advises against electronic vote counting for Calgary

Returning officer advises against electronic vote counting for Calgary

Calgary returning officer Barbara Clifford says it’s hard to justify the cost of buying electronic voting machines for city elections.

If Calgary’s returning officer gets her way, the next election night will still be all about the hands — the poll staff manually counting ballots, and the candidates chewing their nails as they await the slow trickle of results.

Barb Clifford will recommend Monday that council avoid joining other large Canadian cities that electronically count votes, because she worries it’s a prohibitive expense. --->>>

Argonne researchers 'hack' Diebold e-voting system

Argonne researchers 'hack' Diebold e-voting system

Computerworld - Researchers at the Argonne National Laboratory this week showed how an electronic voting machine model that's expected to be widely used to tally votes in the 2012 elections can be easily hacked using inexpensive, widely-available electronic components. --->>>

Helping veterans vote - Project to ease absentee process

Helping veterans vote - Project to ease absentee process

To make it easier for military members and other citizens stationed overseas to vote in state and federal elections, South Dakota is leading a joint venture with Nebraska, Iowa and North Dakota to develop an electronic absentee voting system.

South Dakota Secretary of State Jason Gant announced that the state received a grant of almost $1 million from the Federal Voting Assistance Program for the project. --->>>

Internet voting for overseas Filipinos?

Internet voting for overseas Filipinos?

Filipino expatriates from the United States, Australia and Jordan have apparently scored a key point in removing a legal impediment blamed for the low turnout in overseas absentee voting.

The Joint Congressional Committees on Foreign Affairs and Suffrage are now considering a substitute bill amending the Overseas Absentee Voting law, in order to do away with the requirement for Filipinos to submit an affidavit to return to the country 3 years after registration. --->>>

Internet voting in advance polls a great success in Markham, report finds

Internet voting in advance polls a great success in Markham, report finds

Internet voting in advance polls in Markham has helped increase overall voter turnout, engage non-voters to vote and greatly improve overall voter satisfaction, according to a research and public opinion report released Monday. --->>>

Also: E-voting gets almost unanimous praise, study finds

The case against internet voting in Canada

The case against internet voting in Canada Phil Elder, University of Calgary.

Canada’s Chief Electoral Officer recently mused about experimenting with internet voting in a by-election, which many believe would result in a higher voter turnout (especially by those in remote locations, or with disabilities).

Besides ameliorating voter turnout, which has sagged badly in recent elections, it is believed that internet voting might reduce costs and provide quicker reporting of results.

But is e-voting a good idea? I’m not so sure. Meaningful observation of the voting process would be difficult. If the system has no paper trail, there’s no external evidence it has operated correctly. --->>>

Bulgaria - The vote-buying business

Bulgaria - The vote-buying business

For Bulgarian television journalists and state authorities, election 2011 has meant the opening of hunting season, as reporters, undercover agents and prosecutors set out on the trail of those who buy and sell votes. --->>>

Voter fraud: 65% of votes in Balochistan were bogus

Voter fraud: 65% of votes in Balochistan were bogus

Balochistan had the highest rate of fake voters during the 2008 general election, according to findings from the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA). --->>>

Summers: No Voter Fraud Found, but Maine's System Needs Fixing

Summers: No Voter Fraud Found, but Maine's System Needs Fixing

An investigation prompted by Republican allegations of potential voter fraud linked to same-day voter registration has produced a lot of smoke but not much fire, according to critics. Maine Secretary of State Charlie Summers told reporters today that his two-month investigation has produced no evidence of wrongdoing, but does suggest that numerous clerical errors occur when voters are allowed to register on Election Day. --->>>

If you hate how we vote in Ontario, try this [Toronto Star, Bob Hepburn]

If you hate how we vote in Ontario, try this [Toronto Star, Bob Hepburn]

Are you fed up with thinking your vote never counts or your party never wins as many seats as you think it deserves?

If you do, then you’re not alone because that’s how many Ontario voters feel as they prepare to cast their ballots in the Oct. 6 election.

For decades, critics of Ontario’s first-past-the-post electoral system, in which the candidate receiving the most votes wins the riding, have complained that it shuts out small parties, hurts voter turnout and generally is an offence against modern democracy.

At last, these critics will get a chance to see just how an election outcome might actually unfold if Ontario used a different voting system.

To do this, Ontario residents are being asked to take part in a unique experiment in democracy by going to a website (threeontariovotes.ca), selecting their riding and then voting three ways: the current system, an alternative vote method now used in Australia and proportional representation used in the Netherlands.  --->>>

See also:  CBC - Virtual election lets Ontarians 'vote' under different rules

Press Release - Canadian company, CODE Incorporated, completes second successful electronic/ bio-metric voter registration in Africa

The Canadian firm, CODE Incorporated, based in Ottawa, Ontario has recently accomplished their 2nd successful African Electronic Voter Registration (EVR) project. --->>>

Press Release - ZETES INDUSTRIES : Secure and flexible electronic voting with Zetes’ Secur-eVote solution

ZETES INDUSTRIES : Secure and flexible electronic voting with Zetes’ Secur-eVote solution

Brussels (Belgium), September 14, 2011 – Zetes (Euronext Brussels: ZTS) launches Secur-eVote, an electronic voting solution to help governments set-up elections faster, more efficiently and at a lower cost.   The solution, which is based on voting terminals, has been designed and developed entirely by Zetes and combines its competences in developing highly secured solutions for governments with extensive expertise in the implementation of auto-ID technologies. --->>>

Engineers Australia internet voting ballot could be declared invalid after a revolt by members.

Engineers Australia internet voting ballot could be declared invalid after a revolt by members.

More than 300 members, the number required to force a new vote, have supported calls for a new ballot requisition nine months after the online poll took place. The requisition is expected to be delivered to Engineers Australia within days.

The association, which has 90,000 members, will then have to inform the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, which will then advise the Office of the Governor-General, who is the Engineers Australia patron.

On November 16, Engineers Australia conducted a ballot seeking changes to its royal charter and bylaws. It used electronic voting for the first time as well as traditional paper-based postal votes. But scrutineers said they had been unable to verify the e-voting results. --->>>

Electoral transparency: Biometrics could eliminate bogus votes if approved

Electoral transparency: Biometrics could eliminate bogus votes if approved

Technological innovations will make bogus voting difficult if not impossible in Pakistan, where the number of bogus votes has called into question the legitimacy of the present government, if the introduction of biometrics is mandated for the next elections. --->>>

TurboVote: “Netflix” for Voter Registration

TurboVote: “Netflix” for Voter Registration

TurboVote—started earlier this year by Seth Flaxman, Kathryn Peters, and Amanda Cassel Kraft, is specifically targeted at student voters who are besieged by distractions at the start of the academic year, which is also prime election season. --->>>

TurboVote.org

New Bulgarian Internet Site Monitors Election Violations

New Bulgarian Internet Site Monitors Election Violations

A new internet site dedicated to the monitoring of violations in the election process in Bulgaria has been launched in the eve of the October 23 presidential and local elections.

The project comes on the backdrop of data of Transparency International showing that 20% to 25% of Bulgarian voters become victims of the so-called "controlled vote" with 12% admitting they have been involved in vote buying and selling.

Read full article --->>>

The internet address of the site is http://fairelections.eu and has versions in Bulgarian and English.

BC: Online voting a hot topic at municipalities' convention

Online voting a hot topic at municipalities' convention

Everything from improved sweeping of bike lanes to implementation of online voting will be up for discussion as local politicians gather in Vancouver this month for the annual Union of B.C. Municipalities convention.

Two resolutions calling on the province to support the implementation of online voting by 2014 have the endorsement of the UBCM executive.

That's not surprising, say local politicians. Given sagging voter turnout - many municipalities struggle to get 30 per cent - everyone is looking to boost voter participation rates. --->>>

Press Release: All of Norway ready for the 2011 municipal and county council elections

Press Release: All of Norway ready for the 2011 municipal and county council elections

Municipal and county authorities throughout Norway have now completed their technical preparations and are ready for the elections to be held on 11 and 12 September. An extensive apparatus of IT systems, vote counting machines, technical equipment and election material is now in place at all the authorities across the country ready for the elections. This information comes from a review carried out by EDB ErgoGroup, which is a supplier of election systems for this year's elections. --->>>

Online voting not feasible in India: CEC

Online voting not feasible in India: CEC

BANGALORE: Making voting hi-tech will make the entire democratic process of voting an unsafe venture, feels S Y Quraishi, Chief Election Commissioner of India. He said on Tuesday that India was not yet ready for bringing in technology into the voting system. The CEC spoke to TOI on the utility of the voter ID cards and put the onus on the citizen to step out and vote. --->>>

Karnataka - E-voting planned for municipal elections

Karnataka - E-voting planned for municipal elections

BANGALORE: State Election Commissioner C R Chickmath on Monday said that e-voting would be held in a few areas in the state during the municipal elections to be held in 2013.  --->>>

See also:  State EC to introduce more options to encourage voting
and    State EC keen on e-voting

New Zealand - Online tool to simplify referendum

Online tool to simplify referendum

The Electoral Commission has launched an interactive website to simplify the electoral system referendum that will take place in conjunction with the national election on November 26. --->>>

Allure of online voting may outweigh the risks

Allure of online voting may outweigh the risks

You can bank on it: It won't be long before we'll be picking our government leaders with the same ease that we pay our telephone bills.  --->>>

British Columbia - Cities push province for electronic voting

Cities push province for electronic voting

B.C. municipalities want access to online voting in time for the 2014 civic elections, hoping to boost voter turnout by making it easier to cast a ballot.

At least three communities - Coquitlam, North Vancouver City and Fort St. John - have asked the Union of B.C. Municipalities to push the province for legislative changes to allow Internet voting, saying it would be beneficial to the young, elderly and out-of-town workers. --->>>

Ontario: New voting technology to aid disabled

New voting technology to aid disabled

Elections Ontario is promoting some new technology that will allow people with disabilities to vote independently.

It will be the first time the technology will be widely available to Ontario voters, said Greg Essensa, Ontario's Chief Electoral Officer.

The voting tools, which aid individuals with mobility and visual challenges, include a Braille key pad, a "sip and puff" straw for those who don't have the use of their hands, and foot pedals. Voters can don a headset which will talk them through how to cast their votes using the equipment. --->>>

Canada: Chief Electoral Officer's Report on the 41st General Election now available

Chief Electoral Officer's Report on the 41st General Election and Official Voting Results Are Now Available

The report of the Chief Electoral Officer of Canada, Marc Mayrand, on the 41st general election and the official voting results are now available on the Elections Canada Web site. See Report

Elections Canada lobbies for test of online voting

Elections Canada lobbies for test of online voting

The head of the agency in charge of federal elections says it's time to modernize Canada's elections, including testing online voting and ending a ban on publishing early election results.

In a report on the May 2 election, released Wednesday, Chief Electoral Officer Marc Mayrand writes about his plan to test online voting and encourages parliamentarians to update the Elections Act.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/story/2011/08/17/pol-online-voting.html

See also:

http://winnipeg.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20110817/elections-canada-online-voting-110817/20110817/?hub=WinnipegHome

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/ottawa-notebook/lift-election-night-blackout-and-test-e-voting-electoral-officer-says/article2132700/?from=sec431

http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/1040769--elections-canada-considering-e-voting-test-in-federal-byelection

Maharashtra governor calls for online voting

Maharashtra governor calls for online voting

The state governor, K Sankaranarayanan, has advocated major electoral reforms in the form of introduction of online voting system in elections.

He was speaking at the launch of the official website of the state election commission at Yashwantrao Chavan Academy of Development Administration (Yashada), in Pune on
Tuesday.

“If we can have online banking, why can’t we have online voting?’’ he asked, making a strong plea for the educated to be involved in the process of elections and the political system at large. --->>>

Pretty Good Democracy suggests path to Internet elections

Pretty Good Democracy suggests path to Internet elections

Internet voting systems can guarantee high levels of privacy or vote verifiability, but not both, said Vanessa Teague, an honorary fellow in the University of Melbourne's department of computer science and software engineering.

Teague, along with Peter Y.A. Ryan of the University of Luxembourg, is a proponent of an online voting system dubbed "Pretty Good Democracy," which Teague says makes reasonable tradeoffs between privacy and verifiability. --->>>

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Saskatchewan Chief electoral officer wants more accessible voting

Chief electoral officer wants more accessible voting

Saskatchewan's acting chief electoral officer says he's disappointed the province hasn't acted on some of his office's recommendations for improving accessibility for voters with disabilities. --->>>

Gujarat panchayat poll: Ballot boxes back in fashion

Gujarat panchayat poll: Ballot boxes back in fashion

The State Election Commission (SEC) may have encouraged online voting during the municipal elections but it is going back to ballots and boxes for the polls to be held in more than 11,000 gram panchayats later this year. --->>>

Election expert team to follow internet voting in Norway

Election expert team to follow internet voting in Norway

The OSCE’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) deployed an election expert team to Norway on 27 June 2011 to follow a pilot project on new voting technologies (NVT) that was put in place for the forthcoming 12 September municipal elections.

View the source code and other materials related to Norway’s internet voting pilot project

Norway intends to use NVT in 10 municipalities, where voters will be able to vote remotely or via the Internet. Voters will also be given the option of voting using traditional ballots. --->>>

Elections Ontario offers more options for voters

Elections Ontario offers more options for voters

Election Ontario announced Monday that for the 40th provincial election, voters will get 29 days to vote, much longer than any other occasion to improve voter participation. --->>>

NLRB Judge: SEIU, Kaiser Colluded to Influence Union Vote

NLRB Judge: SEIU, Kaiser Colluded to Influence Union Vote

The National Labor Relations Board has recommended the cancellation of the results of an election last year between two unions to represent 43,000 employees in California’s largest hospital chain, Kaiser Permanente. The giant Service Employees International Union, or SEIU, beat out the much smaller breakaway National Union of Health Workers, or NUHW, in a bitterly contest race. But a National Labor Relations Board judge has now ruled SEIU was guilty of misconduct and collusion with Kaiser Permanente to influence the vote’s outcome. --->>>

Tallinn Calls in Expert to Denounce E-Voting

Tallinn Calls in Expert to Denounce E-Voting

Yesterday, July 20, the City of Tallinn bolstered its drive to bar the nation's much-touted e-voting system from local elections, holding a press conference where prominent US computer scientist Barbara Simons said that such systems are inherently vulnerable. --->>>

Australia, NSW: Electronic voting hailed as success

Electronic voting hailed as success

A NEW electronic voting system at the NSW state election has been declared highly successful, with four times as many people using the technology than the NSW Electoral Commission hoped.

The iVote system was introduced to help people with a disability or who found it difficult to get to a ballot box, by enabling them to vote via the internet or over the phone. --->>>

Study shows voter turnout can be increased with simple word change

Study shows voter turnout can be increased with simple word change

A new study by social psychologist Christopher Bryan and his colleagues at Stanford University shows just how easily people can be manipulated using their own vanity; by doing nothing more than changing the word "vote," to "voter," on a survey, Bryan et al, have demonstrated that it's possible to increase voter turnout in real-world elections. The team has published their results in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. --->>>

Official Pushes for Online Military Voting

Official Pushes for Online Military Voting

The director of the program that helps troops vote from overseas says a full embrace of Internet voting for servicemembers would help get more votes counted. --->>>

Diebold Named Best Information Technology Company in Brazil in Its Industry Segment by Exame Magazine

Diebold Named Best Information Technology Company in Brazil in Its Industry Segment by Exame Magazine

Diebold, Incorporated's (NYSE: DBD) Brazilian operation has recently been named the best information technology (IT) company in the "digital industry" segment by Brazil's Exame Magazine in its 38th edition of "The Biggest and the Best." Other companies considered for this recognition included: IBM, HP, Totvs, Itautec, Scopus, Positivo and CPM. --->>>

Oscar's move to online voting is off and running.

Oscar's move to online voting is off and running.

The Academy confirms that a very impressive 83% of the membership had returned cards requesting their email address by the deadline date of June 30 ... --->>>

Maharashtra - Citizens to decide fate of e-voting before civic polls

Citizens to decide fate of e-voting before civic polls

Even as tenders have been invited for creating the online portal and supporting data systems to enable e-voting in the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections in February next year, the process will be finalised only after citizens give their go-ahead. --->>>

Sick, grumpy staff a headache for Elections Canada in May vote

Sick, grumpy staff a headache for Elections Canada in May vote

Elections Canada scrambled to staff dozens of polling stations across Canada on May 2 when the people it hired called in sick, slept late, took unauthorized meal breaks — or quit in a huff over working conditions. --->>>

Russians abroad to vote via electronic devices

Russians abroad to vote via electronic devices

December 4 will see parliamentary elections in Russia. However, Russian citizens who are now living and working abroad will also have a possibility to vote.

On December 4, polling stations will open in all countries with which Russia has diplomatic relations. For the first time, they will be equipped with a technical novelty - electronic devices which will ease the procedure of voting and calculating the votes. --->>>

Lessons From Estonia: Preparing for a Major Cyberattack

Lessons From Estonia: Preparing for a Major Cyberattack

In the spring of 2007, Estonia became the first nation to face a coordinated, nationwide cyberattack when a series of electronic bombardments struck down media, telecommunications, government, and banking websites. Digital traffic from servers as far away as Peru, Vietnam, and the United States flooded Estonian websites, drowning them in superfluous data. --->>>

India: Maha EC to use hologram in EVMs to ensure safety

Maha EC to use hologram in EVMs to ensure safety

Maharashtra State Election Commissioner Neela Satyanarayan today said holograms will be pasted on the electronic voting machines (EVMs) to ensure their safety and prevent them from any kind of tampering. The state election commission has received complaints from various political parties about the vulnerability of the EVMs, she said. "As a security measure, holograms will be pasted on EVMs which will have a unique code. And it cannot be duplicated, is non-cloneable nor can it be tampered," Satyanarayan told reporters here. --->>>

Voter apathy may signal failing party system, professor suggests

Voter apathy may signal failing party system, professor suggests

... Brian Tanguay, a political science professor at Wilfrid Laurier University who has studied electoral reform in Canada, says he isn’t surprised by the numbers and says it’s a sign of a “general disillusionment” with the party system. --->>>

Globe Editorial: Apathy is overrated

Globe Editorial: Apathy is overrated

... Electronic voting, which has worked well in some Canadian municipal elections, would essentially eliminate the reasons – or excuses – of a wide-ranging united alternative of electoral abstainers. In other words, if one adds up “too busy,” “out of town/away,” “own illness or disability,” “too difficult or transportation problem” and “weather conditions,” the sum is an impressive 45.5 per cent – when that same percentage is found among those who actually do vote, that’s enough for a majority government. --->>>

Kenya: 2012 could be an electronic voting year

The country may next year start full scale electronic voting after a team of international consultants arrived in Nairobi to assist in developing a master plan for e-voting in line with the Constitution.

The team from IBM's Corporate Service Corps Programme will volunteer their expertise for the next four weeks after which they will present findings and a plan to the government.

"IBM is partnering with the Government of Kenya to propose a framework that addresses Kenyan voting challenges," said IBM Country General Manager Anthony Mwai. --->>>

Canada: Reasons for not voting in the May 2, 2011 federal election

Reasons for not voting in the May 2, 2011 federal election

More than one-quarter of the 7.5 million eligible voters who reported they did not cast a ballot in the May 2, 2011 federal election indicated they did not do so because they were not interested in voting. Another 23% said they were too busy to vote. --->>>

Australia: WA to develop voting application for vision impaired

WA to develop voting application for vision impaired

The WA Electoral Commission (WAEC) has flagged plans to develop a computer-based application to grant blind and vision-impaired voters the ability to cast a secret vote at the next state election. --->>>

Egypt Tomorrow: A call to action towards e-democracy

In continuation to Intel’s “Egypt Tomorrow - IT vision for a brighter future” initiative that has been running for several months now, Intel held a session yesterday at El Sawy Cultural Wheel in Cairo that aimed at providing an open discussion and a number of solutions to how ICT can be the first stepping-stone in shaping free and democratic Egyptian elections in the future. The session discussed how ICT can pave the way for the democratic process because it relies on the integrity of data available through an e- platform. --->>>

A vote against voting [Editorial: Washington Post]

A vote against voting

A FLURRY OF activity in state legislatures across the country is threatening to make it more difficult for people to vote. These Republican-sponsored measures move the nation in the wrong direction.

The bills generally take two forms: stringent new requirements for the kind of IDs voters must show and restrictions on early voting. Both would suppress turnout in a nation that already fails to turn out a majority of its eligible voting population. --->>>

How states are rigging the 2012 election [Dionne, Washington Post]

How states are rigging the 2012 election

An attack on the right to vote is underway across the country through laws designed to make it more difficult to cast a ballot. If this were happening in an emerging democracy, we’d condemn it as election-rigging. But it’s happening here, so there’s barely a whimper.

The laws are being passed in the name of preventing “voter fraud.” But study after study has shown that fraud by voters is not a major problem — and is less of a problem than how hard many states make it for people to vote in the first place. Some of the new laws, notably those limiting the number of days for early voting, have little plausible connection to battling fraud. --->>>

Parliament Sets up E-Voting Working Group - Estonia Public Broadcasting

Parliament Sets up E-Voting Working Group

On June 9, the Parliament's Constitutional Committee established a working group tasked with shoring up regulations related to the country's much-touted e-voting system. --->>>

N.B. political, legislative reforms proposed (CBC)

N.B. political, legislative reforms proposed

New Brunswick should revamp some of its oldest legislative and political traditions in an effort to re-engage citizens in democracy and give a voice to smaller parties, according to a new report.

Don Desserud, a political scientist at the University of New Brunswick in Saint John and Cody Waite, a graduate student at the University of New Brunswick, authored a 66-page report to be released Friday in Fredericton. --->>>

Estonia: Tallinn Looks to Disallow E-Voting at Local Elections

Tallinn Looks to Disallow E-Voting at Local Elections

The Tallinn City Council has filed a motion with the Supreme Court to abolish e-voting at future local elections.

City Council Chairman Toomas Vitsut says there are "questionable aspects" to the current regulations on e-voting. --->>>

Postal strike may delay B.C. HST referendum - CBC

Postal strike may delay B.C. HST referendum

Elections B.C. says a looming strike at Canada Post could delay or extend a mail-in referendum on the province's harmonized sales tax.

Canada Post has received 72-hour strike notice from the union representing postal workers, meaning the workers are in a legal strike position on Thursday.

Three million HST referendum ballots are to be mailed out in mid-June, with the ballots to be returned by July 22. However, the dates could be extended if there's a postal strike. --->>>

Honolulu - Neighborhood Board Elections results released

Honolulu - Neighborhood Board Elections results released

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Voting for the 2011 Neighborhood Board Elections ran from May 2 to 21. This was the second year elections were strictly digital.

Eligible voters received past codes in the mail, which allowed them to cast votes online or over the telephone.

According to the Neighborhood Commission Office, 13,269 voters took advantage of the new digital voting system, with a participating rate of 8.5 -- two percent higher than last year. --->>>

Vancouver Voters will not be casting ballots online in November

Vancouver Voters will not be casting ballots online in November

Internet voting won't be a part of the political process in this November's civic election in Vancouver, The Province has learned. The mayor's office was notified earlier this week.

"We're disappointed that the pilot project for online voting will not be in place for this fall's election, as we believe it provides a great opportunity to expand citizen engagement," Mayor Gregor Robertson told The Province.

"Online voting is expanding in frequency, as we've seen in other Canadian municipalities as well as the recent provincial leadership contests." --->>>