But before jumping to conclusions, let's look at the security and reliability issues surrounding voting technology. The goal of any voting system is to establish the intent of the voter, and transfer that intent to the vote counter. Amongst a circle of friends, a show of hands can easily decide which movie to attend. The vote is open and everyone can monitor it. Because the scale changes, our voting methods have to change.
Anonymity requires a secret ballot.
Scaling and speed requirements lead to mechanical and computerized voting systems. Through the centuries, different technologies have done their best. Stones and pot shards dropped in Greek vases led to paper ballots dropped in sealed boxes. Mechanical voting booths and punch cards replaced paper ballots for faster counting. New computerized voting machines promise even more efficiency, and Internet voting even more convenience.