Electronic Ballot Research Articles

A Comparative Study of Electronic and Paper Ballot Systems in Modern U.S. Elections

A Comparative Study of Electronic and Paper Ballot Systems in Modern U.S. Elections

Exploring the Security Challenges of an E-Voting System (EVS): A Case Study in the Bolgatanga Senior High School

The integration of electronic voting systems (EVS) into electoral processes promises increased efficiency, speed, and transparency. However, this technology also introduces a variety of security challenges that must be addressed to ensure the integrity of the voting process. This study explores the security vulnerabilities of an EVS, focusing on its implementation at Bolgatanga Senior High School (BIGBOSS). Through a case study approach, this research examines the potential threats to the administration of EVS, including issues related to data privacy, system integrity, authentication protocols, and susceptibility to cyber-attacks. A mixed-methods strategy was employed, utilizing surveys, interviews, and system tests to assess both technical vulnerabilities and user experiences. Key findings revealed Potential Voter Manipulation where unauthorized access could allow individuals to cast votes fraudulently; Insider Threats where trusted users exploiting their access could manipulate election outcomes; Weak Authentication; Lack of Robust Verification; Potential Physical Attack where individuals could vandalize machines and Vulnerabilities in Encryption which may expose votes, compromising ballot secrecy. The study recommends the implementation a blockchain-based technology , such as cryptographic techniques, consensus mechanisms, use of biometric verification to ensure the identity of voters as well as the use of digital signatures to verify the authenticity of electronic ballots and ensure that they haven't been altered during transmission, implementation of real-time monitoring of the e-voting system to detect and respond to security threats promptly” and also provide ongoing cybersecurity education and training to election officials, staff, and voters to raise awareness and reduce the risk of human error. These findings contribute to the ongoing discourse on EVS security, providing insights into practical measures for improving the reliability and safety of electronic voting systems in educational institutions and beyond.

VOTEMAT: A Blockchain Based Voting System

This study aims to show that a secure, trustable and immutable voting system can be established with Blockchain technology. Decentralized structure of the Blockchain excludes the central authority and provides transparency. Moreover, its cryptographic functions enable secure transactions. Therefore, the operation is prevented from potential frauds, such as multiple votes, fake vote attempts, and fraudulent vote counts. The proposed method, VOTEMAT, covers both electronic voting and paper ballot as a complete solution. A mobile application and a Website, connected to Ethereum private Blockchain network, were developed for the voters who prefer to cast their votes remotely. It is also possible to vote in the voting centres via the mobile device or paper ballot placed in the vote boxes; but these votes are also recorded in the same Blockchain and equally secure. For the remote users, a two-step authentication is designed, based on the information on the national identity card and face recognition. An additional encryption based security measure is used to avoid hacking attempts, such as man in the middle attacks. Since the proposed system is more practical than the traditional voting methods, it can increase the participation and be utilized in all kinds of local or national elections.

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

Design and Implementation of a Secured, Real-Time Internet-based Voting System

The Internet of Voting system presented in this paper represents a modern solution to the challenges faced by the traditional electoral processes. In an era characterized by technological advancements, this system harnesses digital innovation to enhance the efficiency, security, and accessibility of elections. Evolving from a rich history of voting systems, this digital platform integrates several influential works and leverages cutting-edge technology to create a user-friendly interface with robust security measures. The system addresses critical issues that have plagued traditional paper and electronic ballots, such as voter confusion and fraud, by implementing stringent encryption techniques, password renewal mechanisms, and real-time prevention of duplicated votes. It enables the elimination of multiple registrations, streamlining the voter registration process. Online voting systems have gained prominence as a means of conducting elections efficiently, reducing logistical challenges, and increasing voter accessibility. The system offers three distinct categories for voting: Regional Elections, Local Elections, and Presidential Elections, each with its own set of independent candidates.

O consumo simbólico da desinformação ancorada na credibilidade jornalística: análise de elementos de legitimação do discurso nas Eleições de 2022

The aim of this article is to analyze the discursive strategies that refer to the attribute of credibility in pieces of disinformation that circulated in the 2022 Brazilian Elections. We will use the methodological assumptions of the case study and criticaldiscourse analysis and, as a corpus, we chose pieces of disinformation that focus on allegations of fraud in the electronic ballot boxes published on Twitter (now X) and Telegram (with circulation in other digital and networked environments) and in (supposedly) journalistic companies such as Jovem Pan, during the first and second rounds of the presidential elections. We observed the use of six different discursive strategies -some of them also used in journalism -in which the aim is to lend credibility to misleading and fabricated content.

Remote electronic voting in elections in Russia: State, problems, prospects

The paper examines the Russian experience of introducing remote electronic voting into the electoral process. By referring to the experience of other countries, we highlight the positive and negative aspects of remote electronic voting. The interest of states therein is due to the capability of combating the electorate absenteeism at polling stations for voting. Along with that, the results of surveying Russians on the use of remote electronic voting in elections show that some voters do not trust the outcomes of such voting for fear of fraud. We accumulated preferential provisions that constitute the interest of states in remote electronic voting. Blockchain technologies used in electronic voting are diverse and affect the public’s attitude to the voting results in different ways, many electoral process participants do not understand the technical component of the electronic program. Russia uses a closed blockchain, therefore only the electoral process participants having a special key can view the data. It turned out that blockchain-based voting does not solve fundamental security problems, but on the contrary is technically more vulnerable than traditional paper ballot voting or postal voting. In Russia, legal regulation relates more to the technical aspects of organizing and implementing remote electronic voting in elections, but does not solve all the problems, leaving many gaps for the guarantees of citizens’ electoral rights. Currently, the optimal model will be the combination of both traditional (paper ballot) and remote voting forms in order to reduce the risks of the latter, i. e. to apply a hybrid voting format in elections. Russian electoral legislation needs to be adapted to the hybrid format of elections with a paper ballot and an electronic ballot, providing voting rights of citizens and remote electronic voting.

Voting System with Artificial Intelligence and Blockchain

Voting is an essential democratic practice of finding out the public opinion about the policy of candidates. For free and fair voting procedure, a systematic voting system must be designed. Today almost every aspect of our lives is aided by the technology and with the advancement in the technology, the voting system can be upgraded to AI Voting System from the traditional ballot paper system with fair results. This paper discusses designing of voting system with best possible secure way. AI and Blockchain are two underlying technologies used to achieve secure and fraud-free voting environment. Face recognition being the source of truth for authentication and authorization and Blockchain encryption being the safest way to store and read electronic ballot make system ideal. All data related to voting are encrypted in Blockchain decentralized network. In blockchain technology, each process is controlled by Smart Contract, they are trackable and irreversible.

FINGER PRINT ONLINE VOTING SYSTEM

A detailed and critical analysis was done on manual and e-voting systems implemented. These systems exhibited weaknesses of unreliable protocols, denial of service attacks hence the need to implement the public-key encryption e-voting system the major aim of the public-key encryption e-voting system is to assure reliability and security of the protocol hence guaranteeing voting convenience. Interviews and document review were used to determine inputs, processes and outputs. As a result of the requirements specification, the system was summarized into three processes: access control process which involves identification and authentication phases for eligible voters. Secondly, the voting process was done by encrypting voter's electronic ballot before submitting to the server. Finally, the final result was sorted through deciphering the received encrypted information. The System is more efficient than other E- Voting systems since voters can vote from their devices without extra cost and effort, and encryption ensures the security. Keywords- E-voting system; Public encryption key; security

VLSI Design and Implementation of Electronic Voting Machine

In place of the ballot papers and boxes that were formerly used in traditional voting systems, an EVM, or electronic voting machine, is used to record votes. The fundamental right to vote, or simply the capacity to cast a ballot, is the cornerstone of democracy. Voters would mark the name of their favourite candidate with a stamp in prior elections, whether they were state or center elections, fold the ballot paper following the instructions, and then place it in the ballot box. This is a time-consuming, difficult, and error-prone operation. This arrangement persisted until computerized voting machines drastically altered the election scene. There is no longer a need for ballot paper, ballot boxes, stamping, etc. The electronic voting machine's ballot unit is a straightforward box. Biometric identifiers are thought to be more trustworthy than conventional token or knowledge-based approaches for person recognition since they cannot be readily lost, faked, or exchanged. Therefore, depending on contemporary technologies, such as the biometric system, the electronic voting system needs to be enhanced. This article offers a thorough analysis of voting devices, problems, and comparisons of various voting processes and biometric EVMs.

Построение модели протокола электронного голосования с возможностью проверки результата избирателями

This article proposes a model of electronic voting protocol, with the possibility of monitoring the result by the voters. The central idea of such a model is the emergence of a mechanism for linking electronic ballots with the results of voting in a single chain, with the help of cryptographic transformations, based on cryptographic systems with a public key. Such a mechanism prevents "superfluous" ballots from appearing, makes it possible to track the result of one's vote by a particular voter in this chain, and makes it impossible to make an incorrect vote count, without violating the integrity of the chain. Three electronic voting protocols were examined: the Fujioka–Okamoto–Ohta protocol, the protocol with one central commission based on the ANDOS protocol, and the protocol with one central commission based on the blind signature. The protocols were investigated for merits and demerits, as well as for the possibility of modification to add new features. The optimal protocol was selected to include a mechanism for linking votes into a single chain. As a result, a new electronic voting system based on a protocol with the Central Election Commission based on a blind signature was developed. A scheme explaining the operation of this system is given.

Meet the Candidates for APA’s 2022 Election

Back to table of contents Previous article Next article APA & MeetingsFull AccessMeet the Candidates for APA’s 2022 ElectionCatherine F. BrownCatherine F. BrownSearch for more papers by this authorPublished Online:24 Nov 2021https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.pn.2021.12.38AbstractCandidates must follow new campaign rules that are meant to level the playing field for all candidates.There are 15 candidates vying for national and Area office in APA’s 2022 election. At right are their names, photos, and the offices for which they are running.The campaigning rules that candidates must follow are different from those for previous elections. In December 2020, the Board of Trustees voted to launch a two-year pilot campaign plan for candidates to start with the 2022 election. Under the new rules, all campaigning is prohibited except through APA-managed activities and other activities as the APA Elections Committee may permit.Schedule for ‘Meet the Candidates’ Town HallsAPA members will have an opportunity to hear directly from the candidates and ask questions in a series of virtual town halls. Below is the schedule. For members who can’t attend the town halls, they will be archived on the APA election website around the third week of December.President-elect, treasurer, and trustee-at-large: December 13Area 3 trustee (elected by Area 3 members): December 14Area 6 trustee (elected by Area 6 members): December 15Resident-fellow member (RFM) trustee-elect (elected by RFMs): December 16The town halls will be moderated by the chair and members of the Elections Committee. Candidate presentations of five to seven minutes will be followed by a question-and-answer session that includes questions from the committee and APA members. To attend the town halls, please register at psychiatry.org/election.The changes are meant to level the playing field for all candidates and ensure that APA’s leadership reflects the diversity of the APA membership and thus includes candidates who are from minority and underrepresented groups. The new process was recommended by the APA Presidential Task Force to Address Structural Racism Throughout Psychiatry, appointed by then-President Jeffrey Geller, M.D., M.P.H.These are among the approved APA-managed campaign activities:APA’s election website is the centralized location for all election and candidate-related information.“Meet the Candidates” (see box) town halls will be held in mid-December. These one-hour sessions are open to all APA members. Sessions will be recorded and posted on the APA election website for viewing by members who are unable to participate in the live sessions.By early December, all voting members should have received an APA election newsletter that contains the candidates’ platforms and biographical statements.No other forms of campaigning are permitted, such as letters, phone calls, emails, and messages on APA listservs by or on behalf of candidates. Sanctions for violations are included in the new guidelines.All voting will be by electronic ballot. Beginning January 3, ballots will be emailed to eligible voting members with a valid address on file with APA; members may also go to psychiatry.org/election and use their member login information to access their electronic ballot.Paper ballots will be mailed only to eligible voting members who request them by contacting the APA Election Office through January 10 at [email protected].The deadline for online voting is Monday, January 31, at 11:59 p.m. ET, and paper ballots must be postmarked by that deadline.If you have any questions, contact the APA Election Office at [email protected].Click here to see the candidates’ photos. ■ ISSUES NewArchived

Foreign interference and Australian electoral security in the digital era

ABSTRACT Australian elections are digitising. Electronic ballots, electronic certified lists, electronic scrutiny, and electronic data are becoming part of the electoral status quo. The digitisation of elections in Australia induces new vulnerabilities that malign foreign entities can exploit to subvert the nation’s democratic sovereignty. Problems such as inauthenticity, data insecurity, and disinformation are amplified in today’s epoch of digital era governance. Since these problems have the potential to erode the legitimacy of Australian elections, it is imperative to deepen understanding of these risks to optimise the nation’s democratic resilience. Through applying a conceptual framework derived from democratic theory and public policy, this paper assesses the vulnerability of Australia’s elections to foreign interference based on the Australian electoral system irrespective of adversary capabilities. It finds that Australia’s federal elections are relatively secure from hard cyber security risks due to digital-analogue hybridity in electoral processes, but they are vulnerable to soft cyber risks such as digital disinformation.

Investigating Usability and User Experience of Individually Verifiable Internet Voting Schemes

Internet voting can afford more inclusive and inexpensive elections. The flip side is that the integrity of the election can be compromised by adversarial attacks and malfunctioning voting infrastructure. Individual verifiability aims to protect against such risks by letting voters verify that their votes are correctly registered in the electronic ballot box. Therefore, voters need to carry out additional tasks making human factors crucial for security. In this article, we establish a categorization of individually verifiable Internet voting schemes based on voter interactions. For each category in our proposed categorization, we evaluate a voting scheme in a user study with a total of 100 participants. In our study, we assessed usability, user experience, trust, and further qualitative data to gain deeper insights into voting schemes. Based on our results, we conclude with recommendations for developers and policymakers to inform the choices and design of individually verifiable Internet voting schemes.

Emergency Absentee Voting for Hospitalized Patients and Voting During COVID-19: A 50-State Study.

IntroductionVoters facing illness or disability are disproportionately under-represented in terms of voter turnout. Earlier research has indicated that enfranchisement of these populations may reinforce the implementation of policies improving health outcomes and equity. Due to the confluence of the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and the 2020 election, we aimed to assess emergency absentee voting processes, which allow voters hospitalized after regular absentee deadlines to still obtain an absentee ballot, and election changes due to COVID-19 in all 50 states.MethodsWe performed a cross-sectional study collecting 34 variables pertaining to emergency voting processes and COVID-19-related election changes, including deadlines, methods of submission for applications and ballots, and specialized services for patients. Data were obtained from, in order of priority, state boards of elections websites, poll worker manuals, application forms, and state legislation. We verified all data through direct correspondence with state boards of elections.ResultsEmergency absentee voting processes are in place in 39 states, with the remaining states having universal vote-by-mail (n = 5) or extended regular absentee voting deadlines (n = 6). The emergency absentee period most commonly began within 24 hours following the normal absentee application deadline, which was often seven days before an election (n = 11). Unique aspects of emergency voting processes included patients designating an “authorized agent” to deliver their applications and ballots (n = 38), electronic ballot delivery (n = 5), and in-person teams that deliver ballots directly to patients (n = 18). Documented barriers in these processes nationwide include unavailable online information (n = 11), restrictions mandating agents to be family members (n = 7), physician affidavits or signatures (n = 9), and notary or witness signature requirements (n = 15). For the November 2020 presidential election, 12 states expanded absentee eligibility to allow COVID-19 as a reason to request an absentee ballot, and 18 states mailed absentee ballot applications or absentee ballots to all registered voters.ConclusionWhile 39 states operate emergency absentee voting processes for hospitalized voters, there are considerable areas for improvement and heterogeneity in guidelines for these protocols. For future election cycles, information on emergency voting and broader election reforms due to COVID-19 may be useful for emergency providers and patients alike to improve the democratic participation of voters experiencing illness.

Privacy Preserved E-Voting System Using Blockchain

In modern world, elections are important however society doesn't trust their election system that may be a major concern for world. Even today, we still suffer from a blemished voting technique. Electronic balloting has been utilized in various forms since the nineteen seventies with basic edges. They have gained much more attention to improve quality and growing interests with different technologies. Among these technologies Blockchain is newer technology which can also be used in e-voting system. The Blockchain technology, introduced by Satoshi Nakamoto using the cryptologic currency Bitcoin in 2008 developing a secure, clear and redistributed system with the absence of a 3rd party for access and management, within the election procedure of casting and counting of votes. Blockchain is secure public ledgers for protective transaction information and also permits transparent transaction verification. To implement in a large number, it needs the addressing issues regarding the protection and responsibility of system. This process is implemented to reduce major problems like hacking of EVM, recasting, etc. The blockchain is said as rising technology that guarantees for boosting totally different aspects of the many industries. Increasing e-voting into blockchain technology may be the answer to reduce the current issues in e-voting system. Smart contract makes blockchain a strong tool and lots of options that overcomes ancient systems. The system should be trustworthy for candidate. Because of its stability, extensive use, and facilities of smart contracts logic.

A DESINFORMAÇÃO NO PROCESSO ELETRÔNICO DE VOTAÇÃO: UMA ANÁLISE SOB O ASPECTO DA COMPETÊNCIA INFORMACIONAL DO INDIVÍDUO

A democracia pressupõe a participação das pessoas em processos decisórios que, em alguma medida, afetam individual e/ou coletivamente suas vidas. Um dos pilares da democracia representativa é a liberdade de expressão, concebida como direito fundamental que, no contexto constitucional brasileiro, garante aos cidadãos a “livre manifestação do pensamento.” Outro sustentáculo, não menos importante, é o direito à informação, igualmente protegido pela Constituição Federal, que garante às pessoas o acesso a conteúdos informacionais de interesse individual e coletivo. Mas o que acontece quando a liberdade de expressão é usada para disseminar informações falsas? E quando esse processo corrompido se utiliza das facilidades tecnológicas e da falta de competência informacional dos usuários para propagar a desinformação no país? É nesse contexto que o sistema de votação eletrônica vem sofrendo ataques constantes, sobretudo no ambiente das redes sociais. O presente artigo tem por objetivo geral mapear os artigos acadêmicos que se debruçam sobre as temáticas competência informacional, desinformação e fake news, além dos objetivos específicos: contextualizar a temática competência informacional e desinformação, identificar ações já desenvolvidas de combate à desinformação no sistema de votação eletrônica brasileiro, e, propor iniciativas educacionais para o seu fortalecimento. A coleta foi realizada no portal Google Acadêmico, utilizando-se os termos “competência em informação”, “desinformação”, “fake news, além de “democracia”, “votação eletrônica” e “urna eletrônica”, nos idiomas português, inglês e espanhol. Por fim, apresentou uma proposta para estimular a iniciativa educacional no âmbito dos Tribunais Regionais Eleitorais.

Electronic balloting as part of elections: Distinctions and experience

Subject. The article focuses on the blockchain technology, its substance and its use as part of electronic balloting. We also investigate issues of countering the corruption in electoral democracy. Objectives. We herein study the use of information technology, specifics and advantages of the blockchain technology. We also formulate our suggestions and recommendations for improving the electronic balloting process. Methods. The study is based on dialectical methods of research, analysis and synthesis, deduction and graphic interpretation of the findings. Results. We reviewed digital technologies inhibiting the corruption in democratic elections. We suggest ensuring the consistency of the regulatory framework that governs the aspect, eliminating the digital illiteracy of people and trying to increase the IT competence of digital security professionals. Conclusions and Relevance. The use of digital technology for voting has positive and negative features. The intangible side of digital processes complicates the control and the detection of irregularities and falsification instances in case of corruption or negligence in electoral bodies. The findings demonstrate advantages of the blockchain technology and its impact on corruptive factors in voting. The State should pay attention to the legislative framework of blockchain in elections. The success of electronic balloting depends not only on the technology implemented, but also on the corporate culture. In electronic balloting, blockchain support professionals should timely improve the quality of the system in order to ensure the electronic balloting security. Otherwise, the technology implemented will just fuel th public distrust to electronic balloting.

Secure E- Voting System Using Encryption Technique


 
 
 
 Abstract
 The potential of electronic voting to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the voting process is immense. However, its security and privacy are still a major concern. Traditional methods of securing such systems, such as digital signatures and public key cryptography, are not always ideal when it comes to safeguarding the confidentiality of ballots. In this paper, we introduce a novel method for securing electronic voting ballots that utilizes homomorphic encryption. This method allows for the computation of ballots without needing decryption. The proposed e-voting system is composed of three servers. The first one is an e-voting server that stores the voter's information before it is sent to the tallying or decryption server. The latter two are used to calculate the total vote count and decrypt it. To evaluate the performance of this proposed system, we performed a series of tests on its various components. These included its execution time, memory usage, CPU usage, and communication overhead. The results of the tests revealed that the proposed system is secure and can maintain acceptable performance levels. The proposed system's accuracy and robustness are comparable to that of conventional e-voting systems. Its ability to withstand attacks is greatly enhanced by implementing homomorphic encryption. The proposed e-voting system we presented exhibited the security and privacy benefits of homomorphic encryption. By enabling computations on encrypted data without needing decryption, it helps protect the ballot's confidentiality and provides reliable and accurate results.
 
 
 

Novel technique to detect network error or modification of votes during transmission in online voting system

Major obstacles in deploying online voting system (OVS) are its susceptibility and vulnerability to attack and incompatibility to voting fundamental. Various security risks like attacks on communication network, viruses and similar attacks on voting terminals, chances of coercion etc. are associated with OVS. Trapping the electronic ballots from communication network during transmission is also an identified security problem in OVS. Attackers may try to change votes in favor of particular candidates or may try random modifications to disrupt the whole system. Errors may automatically get introduced in the communication channel too. This paper proposes a solution using “dummy voting to detect error” in electronic ballot during transmission in communication network or modification by attackers. This error and modification detection technique will assist legitimate election authorities in making decisions such as cancelling the whole or part of votes cast or approving them to be legitimate.