Why isn’t the election system online?

[Sage]

Is there any good reason why the election system (I’m referring to the US, but I suppose most other countries have this issue too) isn’t online? Why can’t I register online? Why can’t I change parties or my mailing address online? Why can’t I vote online?

If Selective Services can do the whole online thing, why can’t the election system?

I guess this is more of a ranty-type thing than a real question. I’m probably just pissed because I didn’t receive my absentee ballot, so I have to go to a polling place.

 

[ROAD_DOGG33J]

That makes too much sense, but they would probably screw it up somehow. On the other hand it would get people like me to vote.

 

[Duke]

It would be too hard to police. A lot is made of physically identifying people in the electoral process. You could theoretically sign someone else up for Selective Service, if they actually got drafted, the military not take away the wrong person when the time came. However, if I voted in place of someone else, that vote is cast.

I guess.

 

[Sage]

Wellllll… A few hours ago I went to my polling place, and all I had to do was tell them my name. The guy found my name on the list, and had me sign next to it, and that was it. No ID, nothing. Well, not entirely nothing – I told him I was supposed to be an absentee voter, and my name had “Mail to address” next to it, so in a way that’s a little more positive identification, but still, it hardly constitutes positive proof. And I don’t think he was checking anyone else’s IDs.

Plus, it seems like it would be pretty easy to steal someone’s absentee ballot and use that. I mean, does anybody actually check the signatures?

 

[exigeracer]

This reminds me of the process of applying and eventually receiving a passport.

You file income tax returns for years that have your name, address, age and other personal info for years, not to mention it is all on your social insurance card in the first place, as well as your previous passport and census forms you have to fill out. Oh yeah, your address is also on the freaking application envelope they sent to your house. Then you have to get someone official, like a doctor who hasn't have to been in the country for more than 2 years, to tell them that you are in fact the person in the picture.

It's the most lengthy, annoying process that takes months and about a hundred dollars to complete. Almost all of the information could be stored, recorded, changed and confirmed electronically in seconds. You could walk out of the passport office with a new passport within minutes of going in.

This also makes me question why income tax returns aren't automatic. They've already got everything on file - your employment, your pension, everything else, so why do we have to individually, by hand fill it all out, then have them verify it by hand when it could be all automated and take seconds? You wouldn't even have to send anything in, bar donation receipts or other small documentation that would benefit you throughout the year, just receive a cheque or bill once a year. It would make so much more sense.

 

[Omnis]

Is there any good reason why the election system (I’m referring to the US, but I suppose most other countries have this issue too) isn’t online? Why can’t I register online? Why can’t I change parties or my mailing address online? Why can’t I vote online?

If Selective Services can do the whole online thing, why can’t the election system?

I guess this is more of a ranty-type thing than a real question. I’m probably just pissed because I didn’t receive my absentee ballot, so I have to go to a polling place.

Because paper is the most publicly accessible medium that isn't hackable. Elections are supposed to be completely public and open, not with all this secretive Diebold crap with no paper trail. I also think they want proof of postage so that they can verify dates for all of the party rules.

 

[GrumpEone]

Is there any good reason why the election system (I’m referring to the US, but I suppose most other countries have this issue too) isn’t online? Why can’t I register online? Why can’t I change parties or my mailing address online? Why can’t I vote online?

If Selective Services can do the whole online thing, why can’t the election system?

I guess this is more of a ranty-type thing than a real question. I’m probably just pissed because I didn’t receive my absentee ballot, so I have to go to a polling place.

The simple answer is... Hackers. The moment that the election process is online, is when hackers around the world will decide who will run our country. Putting the election process on-line would be the biggest governmental mistake, even a bigger mistake than Income Tax, but that is another pathetic story. Just think about it, the Government is your Pimp.

There is a reason why the Military dumped the internet into the public sector. There are far too many holes in the secruity of the internet, even on supposed secured networks.