Future Smartphone Voting Challenges
Future Smartphone Voting Challenges
(Future Smartphone Voting Challenges)
Implementing smartphone voting faces several challenges. Security is paramount, as smartphones are vulnerable to malware, hacking, and cyberattacks that could compromise vote integrity. Ensuring voter authentication is also challenging; reliable biometric or multi-factor authentication systems are necessary to prevent fraud, but they must also be user-friendly and accessible to all voters.
Privacy concerns are significant, as the system must ensure votes remain anonymous and protected from unauthorized access. Digital divide issues must be addressed, as not all citizens have access to smartphones or the technical proficiency to use them, potentially disenfranchising certain populations.
Technical issues like software bugs, connectivity problems, and device compatibility can disrupt the voting process, while the lack of a verifiable paper trail raises concerns about auditability and recounts. Furthermore, public trust in the technology and the electoral process must be built and maintained, which is challenging given the skepticism surrounding digital security.
Lastly, the legal and regulatory framework must evolve to address these challenges, ensuring robust standards for security, privacy, and accessibility are met. Addressing these multifaceted issues is critical for the successful implementation of smartphone voting.
Voting
The ultimate expression of freedom in the United States is the right to vote. This right is deeply treasured by many Americans, but there are those that take the process for granted. How is my vote counted? Do I have fair representation in Congress? Does my vote make a difference? These are the kinds of questions a concerned citizen must ask when considering the voting process.
There are a number of different methods for counting votes used around the world ranging from majority rule to the constitutionally mandated electoral college used to determine the US presidency. In order to explore the complexities of the voting process and methods used to assure fairness, let’s examine the following scenario:
In the near future, Congress and the states will abolish the process of voting at the polls in the United States. Instead, all citizens will cast their votes via an approved and secure smartphone app.
In your post, address the following questions:
- Describe what changes you anticipate this would make to the accuracy, documentation, expense, and convenience of the voting process.
- What method of fairness do you feel would be best suited to counting the votes in this process: majority rule or some other variation?
- Explain whether this method of voting could be considered truly secure.
- What are some unintended consequences that could arise from this method of casting votes?
When constructing your response, consider the theories, examples, and concepts discussed in your readings this module, and refer to them to support your conclusions.
Write your initial response in a minimum of 200 words. Apply APA standards to citation of sources.
