Typically only about 40 percent of the people in his Navajo chapter could make it to the polling places, and even fewer showed up if weather or other factors made travel difficult. He's not the only one excited by the possibilities. Earlier this year, a task force convened by California's Secretary of State Bill Jones released a 34-page report on the feasibility of conducting elections for state offices on the Net. Indeed, petitions are being circulated for a California ballot initiative measure that would give voters the right to cast their votes online in federal, state, county, municipal, and district elections. If sponsors can collect 420,000 valid signatures, the measure will go before the voters this fall.
Serious obstacles block full implementation of e-voting, though.
Smart cards and other secure identification methods may play a role in the solution. Although it was an interesting test, I think the jury is still out. Though it's unlikely that your computer and modem will have replaced the familiar polling booths even by the time the 2004 elections roll around, expect more states to offer less-controversial services in the interim. Within the next four years, chances are good that you'll be enjoying the benefits already available to residents of Maryland and Indiana. And some time soon, we'll all be able to exchange many of our hours in line for minutes online.