By Leah Dearborn
In Arizona, lawmakers are examining new methods of online voting. An online voting system may reduce cost but it raises security and privacy concerns that are too important to ignore for many of Arizona’s citizens. The East Valler Tribune reports:
“We will vote online some day,’ said Sen. Bob Worsley, R-Mesa. “So why not start to figure it out and get ahead of the curve and have Arizona lead the way on this?” Worsley introduced SB 1387 to create an online voting pilot program before the 2014 primary election. It would require at least one county and one city, town or other local jurisdiction to be involved and allow for votes to be cast via the Internet.
Senator Worsley believes that the implementation of a digital ballot has the potential to save the state millions and limit opportunities for voter fraud. Opponents of online voting, however, question whether such a system would destroy the voter’s right to anonymity. Additionally, similar systems created in 2010 for overseas soldiers did not fare well under hack attempts.
Supporters of the concept assert that a more sophisticated system would reduce security concerns.
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