[EM] Why We Shouldn't Count Votes with Machines

[Jonathan Lundell]

On Aug 16, 2008, at 10:08 PM, Juho wrote:

> I wonder what kind of a vote-by-mail system is in use there. If it  
> is just based on ordinary mail that one can send from one's home or  
> anywhere (and doesn't offer any way to cancel and replace the vote)  
> then that seems to offer opportunities for coercion and vote buying.
>
> The early voting system that I'm used to (and that is very popular)  
> is however one where you vote under the observation of an election  
> official (that can be e.g. a post office worker that takes care of  
> early voting) that then puts your secret vote that you have put in  
> one envelope into another envelope (under your eyes) that he will  
> send to your local election authorities.
>
> This method offers the election officials some more chances to  
> violate your privacy if they so wish (since your name will appear in  
> the papers inside the outer envelope) (not probable though) but  
> coercion and vote buying (without the involvement of the election  
> officials) is about as difficult as with traditional voting at the  
> official voting site on the election day.

In California, something like 35-40% of voters vote by mail (the  
percentage is increasing), and it's just like mailing a letter. One's  
ballot comes in the mail, you mark it at home, and drop it in a  
mailbox to return it. I assume that Oregon has a similar method, but  
I'm not personally familiar with it.