EDemocracy

1
E-Democracy
By Robert David Cowan
The United States of America, the cradle of
Democracy unfortunately there has been a crib
death and no one has noticed.
2
Introduction

• The Gore-Bush election only validates, all votes
  are not counted equally.
• This paper shows how votes can be counted without
  the involvement of a single chad.
• This paper will
• Begin with a serious discussion of E-Democracy,
• What it may be and why it is not so far.
• Then an attempt to solve the problems related to
  E-Democracy becoming a reality.
• Finally a discussion of time, how soon could we
  and how soon will we be able to cast our votes
  over the Internet.

3
1.1 History

• US founded in 1776
• First case of voter fraud 1776
• Simple majority
• Electoral College

4
1.2 Current Voting Problems

• 7,000 voting jurisdiction
• 600,000 mechanical-lever and punch card machines
• Tallies are dependant
• Rent, maintenance and distribution

5
1.3 Current Technical Problems

• No standardization at any level
• Paper ballots
• Mechanical devices
• Tallies

6
1.4 Current Social Problems

• Election night predictions
• Political appointments

7
2 What it May Become

• 2.1 Ideal Setting
• We all lived happily ever after

8
What it May Become(Cont.)

• 2.2 Realistic Future
• Allow people to vote comfortably
• Internet voting to relieve local pressures
• Accurate voter registration records
• More active participation from the citizens
• More active participation of information transfer
  from the politicians

9
3 Solutions

• 3.1 Current Technical Solutions
• Userid and password
• Smartcards
• Biometrics
• Fingerprint
• Retinal
• Voice

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3 Solutions

• 3.1 Current Technical Solutions
• Voice
• VeriVoice random numbers
• BBN browser
• Size of vocal cavity and articulators
• FBI survey of 2,000 cases with .31 error rate

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Solutions(cont.)

• 3.2 Current Voting Solutions
• ICTs Information and Communication Technologies
• Touch screens
• Websites electronic pamphlets
• Canada used PIN and the phone
• Arizona increase participation 600

12
Solutions(cont.)

• 3.2 Current Voting Solutions
• Merge Voter Registration with US Census
• Laptops and PC with microphones
• Dead Men Tell no Tales
• Tally machines servers

13
Solutions(cont.)

• 3.3 Current Social Solutions
• You cant teach an old dog new tricks
• PC literacy and attrition
• Lose of job and political favor
• Strong constituents

14
4 Time Lines

• 4.1 Timeline For the Next Five Years
• Everything happens
• Grassroots movement to mobilize the
  disenfranchised

15
Time Lines(cont.)

• 4.2 Timeline Within My Lifetime
• Grassroots Law
• Implementation
• 7000 adherences

16
5 Conclusions

• We can do it if we want

17
Questions
18
E-Democracy References
19
Is Online Democracy in the EU for Professionals
Only?By Per-Olaf Agren Communications of the
ACM January 2001/Vol. 44 No. 1
20
Toward the European Information Society by
Ari-Veikki Anttiroiko Communications of the
ACM January 2001/Vol. 44 No. 1
21
Voice Print Identificationwww.aftiinc.com
Applied Forensic Technologies Intl., Inc
22
Should Democracy Online be Quick, Strong or
Thin?By Joachim Astrom Communications of the
ACM January 2001/Vol. 44 No. 1
23
Updating Voting Machines Could Take Nation a
Decadeby Jocelyn Augustino USA Today February
14, 2001
24
Rating the Impact of New Technologies on
Democracyby Ted Becker Communications of the
ACM January 2001/Vol. 44 No. 1
25
Digital Politics 2000 by Hal Berghel Communicati
ons of the ACM November 2000/Vol. 43 No. 11
26
An Internet of Democracy by Steven Clift
Communications of the ACM November 2000/Vol.
43 No. 11
27
Voting After Florida No Easy Answers by Lorrie
Faith Cranor Ubiquity of ACM February 14, 2001
28
Smart Card Technologies www.eisq.comElectronic
Identification, Inc.
29
Voice-Over Provides Identificationby Simon
Garfinkel Wired News March 5, 1997
30
Democracy in an IT-Framed Society by Ake
Gronlund, Guest EditorCommunications of the
ACMJanuary 2001/Vol. 44 No. 1
31
Is voice recognition dangerous for your
health?By Linda L. Grubbs PC World.com May 23,
2000
32
Internet Voting for Public Officals by Lance J.
Hoffman and Lorrie Cranor, Guest
Editors Communications of the ACM January
2001/Vol. 44 No. 1
33
Webbing Governance Global Trends Across
National-Level Public Agencies by Todd M. La
Porte, Chris C. Demchak and Christian
Friis Communications of the ACM January
2001/Vol. 44 No. 1
34
Put Your ID Where Your Mouth Isby Carol
Levin PC MagazineNovember 6, 1998
35
Speech Recognition Enters the Internet Age by
Brian Lewis Speech Technology Magazine December
1999 January 2000
36
Net Voting? Keep Your Pants On by Farhad
Manjoo Wired News February 7, 2001
37
Beyond Speech Other Forms of Recognition
Technologyby Judith Markowitz Speech Technology
Magazine January/February 2001
38
Voice Identification The Aural/Spectrographic
Methodby Michael C. McDermott and Tom
Owen www.aftiinc.com Applied Forensic
Technologies Intl., Inc July 31, 1998
39
Speech Recognition on PCs Sideshow or Main
Event? By Dr. William Meisel Speech Technology
Magazine January/February 2001
40
Voting Automation (Early and Often?)by Rebecca
Mercuri Communications of the ACM November
2000/Vol. 43 No. 11
41
The Case for Internet Voting by Joe Mohen and
Julia Glidden Communications of the ACM January
2001/Vol. 44 No. 1
42
California Governor Vetoes Internet TaxBy
Kathleen Ohlson ComputerWorld September 25,
2001
43
Internet Voting An Alternative to Chads by
Jennifer ONeill, Medill News Service PC
World.com Thursday, February 15, 2001
44
Gauging the Risks of Internet Elections by
Deborah M. Phillips and Hans A. von
Spakovsky Communications of the ACM January
2001/Vol. 44 No. 1
45
Voice Browser Activity by Dave
Raggett www.w3.org February 14, 2001
46
Internet has just begun to change governmentby
Stephen M. Ryan GCN.com October 16, 2000
47
Dirty Little Secrets The Persistence of
Corruptionin American Politics by Larry J.
Sabato and Glenn R. Simpson New York Random
House, 1996
48
Computer Professionals and the Next Culture of
Democracy by Doug Schuler Communications of the
ACM January 2001/Vol. 44 No. 1
49
A California County Touches Future of Votingby
Katharine Q. Seelye New York Times February 12,
2001
50
ICTs, Bureaucracies and the Future of
Democracy by Ignace Snellen Communications of
the ACM January 2001/Vol. 44 No. 1
51
Not-for-Profits in the Democratic Polity by John
A. Taylor and Eleanor Burtz Communications of the
ACM January 2001/Vol. 44 No. 1
52
Microsoft Office to get overhaul by Bob Trott,
Ed Scannell and Ephraim SchwartzInfo
World February 29, 2000
53
A Strategic Perspective of Electronic Democracy
by Richard T. Watson and Bryan Mundy Communication
s of the ACM January 2001/Vol. 44 No. 1