[LINK] Electronic voting in the ACT

[Sandra Henderson]

> Potential betterments:
> 
> -  improved accuracy in counting  ????
> -  speedier counting, particular in close races with preferential 
> assignment  ????
> -  handling table cloth size ballot options  like the Senate?????  this
> one 
> seems less a possibility to attain because the list of people is STILL too
> 
> large for a reasonable person to make a distinction and hold all the 
> relative placement options in their head.
> 
And I guess another  good thing is there's the potential for improved access
to voting for people with disabilities. The ACT govt site on the electronic
voting says 
One of the 10 computers in each polling place will be a 21" screen (other
screens will be 17") on a desk with wheelchair access. 
On this computer, spoken word instructions will be available through
headphones to assist blind voters. 
There will be full disabled access at all polling places where computer
voting is available.
At present the option of electronic voting isn't available at many of the
polling places in the ACT (in fact at very few of them), but no doubt that
will change in time, as could the availability of the system for people with
mobility problems (either temporary or permanent) who at present are often
limited to postal voting because they are unable to get to polling places.
I guess more work will be needed before remote connection to the system is
available, but it should be an aim.

Sandra Henderson
Canberra