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EDITORIAL: States slow-playing move to accept Internet votingNORMAN, May 10, 2010 (The Norman Transcript - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- Election watchers are crediting a surge in English voting to online registration. Participation was up this time around, particularly among younger voters. The Internet's role in election activity is being studied by many states in anticipation of November's General Election. The New York Times reports nearly three million overseas and military voters from 33 states will be able to cast ballots over the Internet or via fax. It's all part of an effort to get votes back quicker. States and federal election officials are at a quandary over how to get ballots counted for elections. They don't want a repeat of the 2008 federal election in which thousands of military and overseas voters said they were unable to get their ballots returned in time. Using the Web for voting sounds good and convenient but security experts warn it could be a disaster just waiting for a place to happen. Voting websites could be hacked. E-mail ballots could be intercepted and their secrecy compromised. Several states are running pilot programs. This year may be a true test as polls predict razor-thin margins of victory in dozens of House, Senate and governor's races, created the potential for disputes, according to the Times. Some legislators are wanting to slow the shift to Internet voting. Keep registration online but slow play the voting access. A new rule requires states to make military voters ballots at least 45 days in advance. In Oklahoma, that'll be a challenge as filing closes June 9 and the primary is July 27. To see more of The Norman Transcript or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.normantranscript.com/. Copyright (c) 2010, The Norman Transcript, Okla. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email [email protected], call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA. |