A Project to Assess Voting Technology and Ballot Design

The interdisciplinary project uses a variety of research designs, data collection methodologies, and analysis techniques and two ballot designs to assess five commercially available electronic voting systems and one prototype system developed specifically for the project. Each system is tested using an office bloc ballot and another standard ballot style that is formatted to encourage partisan voting. Results to date indicate that most experts and voters provide favorable assessments of the systems, but serious concerns remain. Design features can add or detract considerably from voters' comfort using the systems, confidence that their vote was accurately recorded, and feeling the need to request help. Factors related to the digital divide influence voter reactions to the systems. Additional research will assess the impact of voting systems and ballot formats on the accuracy with which votes are cast and the impact of changing voting systems and ballots has on voter performance. ...

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2004
• Where: DGO
• Authors: Paul S. Herrnson, Richard G. Niemi, Benjamin B. Bederson, Frederick G. Conrad
• Keywords: DGO 2004, DGO 2007, Electronic Voting Systems, Office Bloc Ballot, Voting Systems