Improving the Voting Process A Multi-Disciplinary and Politicized Problem Roy Saltman Author and Alumnus, NIST Computer Systems Laboratory Friday, Sept. 21, 2007 10:30 a.m., Red Auditorium

The current problems with the voting process are presented in the context of the division of responsibilities between the federal and state governments. Developments beginning in the late 19th century are described, involving voting technology, improved ballot secrecy, and elimination of paper ballots because of extensive fraud. The difficulties resulting from the use of computing technology, beginning in the 1960s, such as fear of software fraud and ambiguity of results due to “hanging chads,” are elaborated. The ground-breaking NBS reports of 1975 and 1988 are reviewed for their recommendations and anticipation of present problems. Current issues include the questions of software correctness, testing of commercial off-the-shelf software, independent verification with and without paper trails, voter registration integrity, and partisanship at the highest levels of supposedly evenhanded administration.

 

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