Switched

If the vote swaps weren't bad enough, try understanding this one: Last May, the results of an election in Arkansas had to be reversed after it was discovered that electronic voting machines tallied votes for a race that wasn't even on the ballot!

Though investigations are still ongoing in most of these incidents, the anecdotal evidence doesn't bode well for electronic voting in general, which Americans are already weary of. Several academic and political organizations have voiced concerns about not only the accuracy of such systems, but also the verifiability of votes and their susceptibility to tampering from politically motivated hackers. The concerns are exacerbated by companies such as Sequoia that have sought, through legal maneuvering, to prevent revelations about their security vulnerabilities from becoming public.

Much of the problem with voting comes from a lack of standardization of election systems. Many Americans and state governments are suspicious of attempts to federalize any systems or standards, but this is one of the instances in which establishing federal standards makes perfect sense. There are thousands of different voting machines used across the nation, and at least five different completely different methods of tallying votes: paper, lever, optical scan, punch card, and electronic. Every state has its own standards for getting a spot on the ballot, even for presidential elections. This lack of centralization and standardization creates a mess of local regulations that are difficult for large political campaigns to keep track of, not to mention individual voters.

In voter's minds, election reform has trouble trumping the culture wars and the economy, so politicians have little incentive to tackle the sensitive and complex issue.

There is little that you can do in the brief time before November 4 except be diligent for potential errors and be aware of the issues that effect your specific voting system. If your district uses electronic voting machines, make sure that the screen properly registers your input and double check any paper trail provided. If the machine does not print a verifiable receipt of your vote, ask if you can cast a paper ballot. Punch card systems (with their hanging-chads and what-not) are quickly disappearing, but will still be used in a few places in Idaho, for example. If you live in one of these areas, take particular care in filling out your ballot.

More information about the accuracy and security of nationwide ballot systems is available from the SciFi Network, of all places. The interactive map on DVICE provides information about the issues with particular voting systems and their prevalence in individual states. You can also take part in the Video Your Vote program, sponsored by YouTube and PBS. If there are any issues in your precinct or voting booth, you'll then have video proof to share with the world. Check with your local board of elections however to see what the laws are regarding photography of your polling place.

Of course, all of this runs counter to what we reported not long ago about increased reliability and security of electronic voting machines. Whether or not the tales out of West Virginia will taint the results of the 2008 election remains to be seen. But one thing is certain, this year voters will have to be extra diligent that their votes are being counted and that there is no foul play.