Electoral System Research Articles

Aadhar Based Biometric Electronic Voting System

Flawless voting is guaranteed through the use of Electronic Voting Machines. It is crucial for citizens to have confidence in the security of their votes and to prevent any fraudulent activities. The primary objective of this initiative is to create a secure Electronic Voting Machine that utilizes fingerprint identification technology. To access fingerprints, the AADHAR card database is utilized. During elections, the authentication process for e-voting involves finger vein sensing, which allows voters to cast their votes after electronic ballot reset. Furthermore, the voting data and details of voters can be transmitted to the nearby Database Administration unit via WIFI. The fingerprint scanning feature is implemented to ensure security and prevent issues like fake or repeated voting. This system not only improves accuracy but also enhances the speed of the voting process

Electoral Systems in Sudan: In Quest for an Appropriate Type

This article reviews the types of electoral systems applied in Sudan since independence – in both democratic and military rules. It goes beyond that to touch on the general features of electoral behavior as well. It employs historical and descriptive approaches to examine some facts pertaining to the reality of elections and hindrances to democracy in the Sudan: <i>First</i>, the democratic process has been obstructed several times by military coups and regimes. <i>Second,</i> children who grew up under al-Bashir's Militant Islamic Regime (MIR) were deprived form exercising democracy or know anything about voting. <i>Third,</i> the lack of continual political participation hindered the process of accumulating political awareness that could enrich the formation of political culture. <i>Fourth,</i> the tribal influence in the socio-political life in many parts of the country, had negatively affected the political behavior of the ordinary people as well as the politicians. This political reality shatters any hope for proper democracy to work in the country. This essay argues that for such pluralism and ethno-cultural multiplicity entails the adoption of consensual democracy. However, it believes that this consociationalism should be supported by the Proportional Representation type of elections –along with federalism and presidential system.

Corpus-Based Diachronic Study of WAR Metaphor in Indonesian Political Discourse

The use of metaphor in political discourse is pervasive. One of the common source domain used in political metaphor is of WAR source domain. The increasing use of WAR metaphor reflects the intensity of the political situation. This paper examines the diachronic used of WAR metaphor in Indonesian Political Discourse. The aim is to analyze the use of the WAR source domain of metaphor used to speak about the Indonesian Political Situation and to compare the use of the metaphor before and after the direct election system is in effect (in 2004). The data are taken from 1896 news articles related to the political situation dan political coalition, that spans from 1980 to 2020 in Tempo online magazine. The study is corpus-based with The Conceptual Metaphor Framework of Lakoff and Johnson used as the theoretical background. The data analysis is conducted in two stages, first by quantitative analysis using Antconc Corpus Concordance Software to measure the frequency of WAR metaphor used to speak about Political situation and the second is the qualitative analysis to evaluate the change and the development of metaphor use. The result of the study should reflect how the political change that occurred in Indonesia can be reflected through the language in particular reflected from the metaphor used to speak about the political condition. The finding shows that there are three categories of diachronic change of WAR metaphorical expression: the first is the terms that have been used metaphorically even before 1998 (reformation era); the second is the terms that are recorded in use as a metaphor after 1998 and the last is the metaphorical expressions that are recorded in use before 1998 but have not been recorded after that.

Voting System using Face Recognition

This introduction explores the idea of using face recognition technology in college student voting systems. The aim is to make voting more secure, efficient, and user-friendly for students. Face recognition can enhance security by preventing fraud and speed up the voting process. It also ensures accessibility for all students. However, concerns about privacy and fairness need careful consideration. Striking a balance between innovation and protecting students' rights is crucial for successfully implementing face recognition in college voting systems. This approach promises a modern and trustworthy voting experience tailored to the needs of college students

Improving Election Integrity: Blockchain and Byzantine Generals Problem Theory in Vote Systems

In the digital age, maintaining election integrity is critical, especially in Africa, where the security of electronic elections is often questioned. This study presents a blockchain-based vote counting and validation (BBVV) system developed using a mixed methods approach that combines stakeholder questionnaires to capture system specification and randomized historical election data analysis, following the Design Science Research strategy. Using the theory of the Byzantine General Problem, the BBVV protocol is proposed, which provides an accurate local count of votes at polling stations before national aggregation. The system was tested with randomized historical election data on the Algorand blockchain TestNet and confirmed that a local consensus on the vote count could be reached before it is added to the national tally on the blockchain. Our results show that in the cases where consensus was reached, this was the instance in only about 5% of the voting scenarios, with only 10% of the total vote being considered valid due to the strict consensus requirements. In addition, significant discrepancies were found between officials, with no consensus reached in 95% of cases which was due to the rogue values generated by a randomized dataset. The performance of the BBVV system was evaluated using transaction metrics, saturation, throughput, traffic, and latency to assess its efficiency, scalability, and reliability. The results suggest that blockchain technology can significantly improve the integrity of elections by ensuring a transparent, secure, and accurate vote-counting process. Future work will focus on improving the adaptability and scalability of the BBVV system for different electoral situations.

Novel Illumination-invariant Face Recognition Approach via Reflectance-luminance and Local Matching Model with Weighted Voting System

In this study, a novel approach has been introduced for face recognition that is unaffected by changes in illumination. This method is based on the reflectance-luminance model and incorporates local matching using a weighted voting technique to eliminate any artifacts present in the retina images. A total of 37 different linear and nonlinear filters were tested, including high pass and low pass filters, to achieve the reflectance component of the image, which remains invariant to changes in illumination. Among these filters, the maximum filter, which is a simple filter with low computational complexity, yielded the best results in extracting the illumination invariants. It was observed that the illumination invariants obtained through this method outperformed other methods such as QI, SQI, and image enhancement techniques in terms of recognition accuracy. Importantly, the proposed method does not require any prior knowledge about the facial shape or illumination conditions and can be applied to individual images independently. Unlike many existing methods, this approach does not rely on multiple images during the training stage and does not require any parameter selection to generate the illumination invariants. To further enhance the robustness of illumination, a weighted voting system was introduced. Certain regions of the image, which may adversely affect the recognition outcome due to poor illumination, occlusion, noise, or lack of distinctive information, were identified using predefined factors such as grayscale mean, image entropy, and mutual information. The proposed method was also compared to other face recognition methods in the presence of occlusions, and it demonstrated promising results outperforming existing methods. The Python algorithm successfully detects obstructed faces, genders, and ages in videos with a face matching accuracy between 80.9% to 96.9% based on proximity.

The Vote18 Polemic and Challenges of its Implementation in Malaysia

Vote18 in Malaysia aims to extend voting rights to individuals aged 18 and older from the former voting age threshold of 21 years and older. This article discusses the challenges associated with implementing Vote18 in Malaysia, aiming to fill the gaps in the scholarly debates on Vote18 and the obstacles to implementing it in Malaysia. Even though the federal constitutional amendment to implement Vote18 was ratified in 2019, its implementation was delayed by two years, raising the essential question: What is the rationale for its delay? The primary data were collected from interviews with four respondents, comprising current and past ministers who had a pivotal role in revising the federal constitution and implementing Vote18, whereas secondary data were gathered from books, journals, and online newspapers. The findings revealed four obstacles to implementing Vote18 in Malaysia. First, the state constitution or state body laws, including the Election Offenses Act 1954, the Elections (Conduct of Elections) Regulations 1981, and the Registration of Electors Regulations 2002, must be amended before allowing people aged 18 and over to vote or run for office. Second, merging data and information stored by numerous government departments and agencies, such as the National Registration Department (NRD), is labour-intensive and time-consuming. Third, the development of a new voting system and the necessary infrastructure are still ongoing. Finally, the most critical hindrance is the government's lack of political will to ensure the initiative's success. Therefore, it can be concluded that lowering the age restriction is among the key components in reforming the Malaysian electoral system.

IMPLEMENTATION OF VOTING SYSTEM USING BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY

In the era of digital transformation, traditional methods of conducting college elections face challenges such as logistical inefficiencies, limited participation, and a lack of transparency. To address these issues, we propose the development of an online voting system leveraging blockchain technology for college elections. This project aims to modernize the election process by providing a secure, transparent, and accessible platform for selecting student leaders. By harnessing the immutability and transparency of blockchain, the system ensures the integrity of the voting process, enhances voter participation, and promotes democratic values within the college community. Through this initiative, we aspire to empower students to actively engage in shaping their college governance and foster a culture of transparency and accountability.

An improved and efficient coercion-resistant measure for electronic voting system

An improved and efficient coercion-resistant measure for electronic voting system

The Role of Money in India’s Elections: How Effective Is the Political Finance Regime?

Political finance does play a positive role in democratic regimes as it enables parties to strengthen their organizations and also run a dynamic electoral campaign. However, for the well-being of electoral democracies, it is imperative that political party funding/campaign finance is neither illegal nor illicit. Violation of political finance-related regulations erodes the citizens’ confidence in the fairness of the electoral system and also weakens trust in political parties. Like other democracies, India also faces the challenge of the infusion of big money, a large component of which remains unaccounted, corroding the fairness of what is otherwise a robust electoral system. The efforts of the Election Commission of India (ECI) to enforce a stringent political finance regime with the help of existing electoral laws, enforcement agencies and judicial intervention have so far met with limited success in checking the illegal and illicit money inflow and large-scale unaccounted expenditure. The task has been difficult due to perceived apathy of political parties, inadequate regulations and enforcement powers with the ECI.

Recounting Mussolini: the narrative of Fascism between memory and popular culture

ABSTRACT Since the 1980s, softened and positive portrayals of Fascism have become established in public debate in Italy. A key feature in this process of defascistization has been the reduction of Fascism to the cult of the Duce. This article examines how this narrative has emerged, focusing not on the politics of memory but instead on the role of the culture industry, public debate and the media. It examines three distinct but related phenomena: the ‘Mussolinization’ of Fascism in public narrative as promoted by television and other mass media; the transformation of the electoral system and political language, marked specifically by the shift from the centrality of the collective to that of authoritative and charismatic individuals; the prominent place of the figure of the hero in popular culture.

Electoral institutions and repression in dictatorships

We argue that the relationship between authoritarian elections and repression depends on the electoral system in use. Proportional representation (PR) systems co-opt more heterogeneous political groups to contest and receive seats in the legislature and thus, dictators are less likely to use broad-based repression. Under plurality rules, by contrast, the regime has more incentives to mobilize turnout and deter collective action. Examining electoral systems from 1990 to 2010, we find that elections only reduce broad-based repression under PR systems, which are less commonly used in non-democracies. Our results highlight the importance of formal institutions in shaping political outcomes even in dictatorships.

Hacker Attacks on Electronic Election and Vote Counting Systems: Estimation of Damages and Methods of Protection

The purpose of this study is to find the most effective and cost-efficient ways to improve the security and stability of electronic election and vote counting systems, as well as to identify the main targets of intruders and vulnerabilities of the system to prevent possible attacks. This paper describes the main types and of hacker attacks and their mechanism, assesses the consequences of damage to the structures of electronic elections in the United States, France, Germany, Northern Macedonia, and Indonesia. The vulnerabilities of electronic election systems were investigated and the technology for their detection during development and testing was provided. Recommendations were given on the implementation of preventive work to reduce the risks of hacker attacks. The study explained the motives of the crimes committed in the cyberspace of electronic election systems.

Digital Voting Application using Blockchain Technology

Building a secure electronic voting system that offers the fairness and privacy of current voting schemes, while providing the transparency and flexibility offered by electronic systems has been a challenge for a long time. The development of a robust and secure evoting system is crucial to ensure the integrity and authenticity of electoral processes. In this context, the integration of blockchain technology with face detection and Aadhar card verification presents an innovative solution. This system combines the power of blockchain's immutability and transparency with biometric authentication through face recognition and Aadhar card validation. By leveraging blockchain, the system can maintain a tamper-proof ledger of votes, ensuring their verifiability and integrity. The incorporation of face detection and Aadhar card verification enhances security by ensuring that only eligible voters can participate, thereby reducing the risk of fraudulent voting. This abstract introduces a novel e-voting system that promises to enhance the trust and reliability of the electoral process through blockchain technology, face detection, and Aadhar card authentication. Key Words: Blockchain, Electronic Voting System and Evoting, face recognisition.

Social Phenomena Related to Fraudulent General Election Results in Indonesia 2024: Systemic Functional Linguistics Perspective

This research delves into the societal implications of fraudulent general election results in Indonesia, with a specific focus on the 2024 presidential election. Applying Systemic Functional Linguistics, the study examines the language use in elections, the repercussions of fraudulent activities on public trust, and the broader impact on Indonesian society. Through detailed data collection and analysis methods, the study uncovers linguistic patterns in fraudulent clauses, discourse strategies employed, and the manipulation of language to influence public sentiment. By identifying fraudulent clauses in news reports, the research sheds light on the intricate nature of election fraud and its historical context. The findings underscore the significant role of language in shaping perceptions and behaviors within the electoral system, emphasizing the need for valid data in understanding and addressing fraudulent practices. Ultimately, this study contributes to a deeper understanding of election fraud's complexities and its far-reaching consequences on Indonesian society.

Testing Theories of States' Adoption of the Direct Primary

Understanding the origins of primary elections has important implications for evaluating their role in American elections. While there is little argument about the importance of primaries to the American electoral system, there is less agreement about why states adopted the direct primary and what they were intended to accomplish. Previous scholarship has laid out three theories: the strength of the progressive movement, parties' efforts to maintain one-party rule, and the urbanization of American society. Using comprehensive state-level data from 1892 to 1930, we test these theories of states' adoption of direct primaries. We find a strong influence of the strength of the progressive movement and the rate of urbanization on the adoption of the direct primary, but we do not, however, find any influence of state partisan competition. Our findings reinforce original arguments about the importance of the progressive movement and urbanization in the adoption of the direct primary.

Building of Brazilian Party System

The main objective of this paper is to analyze the phenomenon of the formation and success of new parties in the period of redemocratization and the return of Brazilian multipartyism (1979-2018). Although the phenomenon is recurrent in Brazil, few studies have looked more directly at the subject in Brazil. What are the determinants of the ongoing formation of new parties? Our hypotheses are that the permissiveness of the electoral system loses effect when actors adapt to it and that factors endogenous to political competition increase the likelihood of new parties emerging. We use previous methodologies and conceptualize new parties as those that are organizationally new (obtain a new registration) and win at least one seat in the Chamber of Deputies. We divided the parties into contestation or coaptation parties to assess the impact of institutional and economic variables on them. Our results indicate that parties that are totally "outside the system" (those of contestation) have more difficulty in becoming competitive, demonstrating that the phenomenon of the appearance of new acronyms is more linked to a strategic reorganization of the elites than to a demand from voters.

Who Does(n't) Target You?

Political campaigns are increasingly investing in targeted advertising on social media platforms to reach voters. Despite critical implications for citizens and elections, little is known about the targeting strategies deployed by political parties — especially in countries beyond the global north. This paper provides a comprehensive descriptive analysis of political microtargeting practices on Facebook and Instagram across 95 countries during 113 national elections. By analyzing the Meta Ad Targeting dataset, we explore targeting strategies of 54k political advertisers who ran 2.5 million ads between August 2020 and December 2022. The findings indicate that election campaigns worldwide utilize targeted advertising. Most commonly, spending is allocated towards a single targeting criterion, however, in wealthier countries and electoral systems with proportional representation, a greater amount of money is spent on microtargeting by combining multiple criteria. Furthermore, targeting strategies vary along ideological lines of political parties who seek out voters more typically aligned with each side of the political spectrum. Nonetheless, parties use microtargeting irrespective of political ideology. Our findings offer the first comparative analysis of political microtargeting on Meta platforms for countries across all continents. Methodologically, we introduce a semi-automatic method to identify worldwide political advertisers using multiple data sources. Our study deepens the understanding of how country and party contexts explain differences in targeting strategies, highlighting the need for more research beyond the global north. Finally, our results have important implications for policy makers, and other stakeholders who seek to develop regulations to address the challenges posed by political microtargeting techniques.

Optimal design of water immersion sensor layout for helicopter emergency flotation system based on the nsgaII algorithm

Aiming at the problem of sensor layout in an emergency flotation system, a sensor layout scheme design method based on the NSGAII method is proposed. The ALE method is used to simulate the water landing process of the helicopter on different pitch angles. The logic relationship of the 4/5 voting system is used to improve the sensor module reliability. Further, a mathematical model of layout scheme is established to maximize the detection coverage and minimize the force acting on the water immersion sensors when helicopter emergent water landing as the objective functions. Based on the mathematical model of water immersion sensor layout optimization constructed in this paper, NSGAII is used to solve this problem. The results show that the proposed method can realize the optimization of the layout of the water immersion sensor, the detection coverage of optimized schemes is increased by 3.26% on average compared with the value under the original scheme, and the force acting on the water immersion sensors is reduced by 61.86%.

Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology in Evaluating Voters' Intention Towards the Adoption of Electronic Forensic Election Audit System

Electronic voting systems have been introduced to improve the efficiency, accuracy, and transparency of the election process in many countries around the world, including Nigeria. However, concerns have been raised about the security and integrity of these systems. One way to address these concerns is through the implementation of electronic forensic election audit systems. This study aims to evaluate voters' intention to the adoption of electronic forensic election audit systems using the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model which is a robust and reasonable theory for technology acceptance. In the study, the UTAUT model which is a widely used model in the field of information systems to explain the factors that influence individuals' intention to use a technology by integrating performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, facilitating conditions, cost factor and privacy factor to voters’ behavioural intention was proposed. A total of 294 sample data were collected from a selected population of electorates who had at one time or the other participated in at least an electioneering process in Nigeria. The data was then analyzed statistically using Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The results obtained show that all variables have significant effect on the electorates’ behavioral intention to adopt the development and implementation of electronic forensic election audit system in Nigeria.