• silicon.com
• Technology
• Security

By Kate Hanaghan, 5 February 2002 14:20

NEWS Concerns over the security of e-voting have boiled over into a call for the creation of a investigatory taskforce before online local elections are held in May. The Independent Commission on Alternative Voting Methods - part of the Electoral Reform Society - today released a report calling for a technology taskforce to be established before the local elections go ahead. Although the UK government thinks online voting has the potential to increase the number of people who vote, electoral reform lobby groups are concerned about the readiness of the technology. High on the Commission's list of concerns is the ability to authenticate the identities of voters. Its recommendation is that smartcards and digital signatures be used to validate voters' identities. There is also the problem of coercion and all the other typical internet issues such as denial of service attacks and viruses. Alex Folkes, spokesperson for the Electoral Reform Society, told silicon.com: "Prior to May a technology taskforce should be set up. It shouldn't be left just to the local authorities and the software manufacturers to oversee the elections." Folkes explained that online voting, telephone voting and new technologies for counting votes should be introduced bit by bit, starting with local elections and building up finally to general elections with each pilot being evaluated by a taskforce. But there are others who see a more rapid approach as essential to the evolution of the UK voting system. Keith Young, CEO of UK Council - an agent for overseas companies which sell technologies used for e-voting - argued that it is imperative the elections go ahead. He told silicon.com: "There are some very well tested technologies out there and we need to start getting people aware of them and using them. It is important that the country starts working with these systems." The Electoral Reform Society's report is entitled Elections in the 21st Century: from paper ballot to e-voting and is available here http://www.electoral-reform.org.uk For more on the UK's online voting plans, read:
UK voters offered internet alternative
http://www.silicon.com./a50817 For related news, see:
Online vote swappi