The grueling recounts that have so long delayed a resolution of the U.S. Presidential election have experts wondering whether Internet technology could improve the accuracy of ballot counting in public and corporate voting. They won't need to wonder for long. But Internet voting could find a place in the private sector. In recent months, unions, associations, and organizations such as the Sierra Club have held online elections for officers. Some publicly traded companies that want more shareholder input might also turn to Internet voting if federal regulators allow it.
Internet voting can cut costs on mailing and processing of paper ballots.
Online voting can also reduce the risk of human error or mistakes from electromechanical voting equipment, supporters say. But Internet voting could lead to new problems or more frequent cases of old problems, said Deborah Phillips, chairwoman of election watchdog group Voting Integrity Project. She cited a recent Arizona Democratic primary in which voters could cast ballots from anywhere with little official monitoring. For one thing, it didn't have onsite personnel verifying people's identities, she said. Also, without monitors present, voters can be persuaded by others to vote one way or the other.