Voting Test Falls Victim to Hackers

This article addresses the issue of online vote casting and its potential hazards. Recently, Washington, D.C. tested an online voting program, and invited hackers to manipulate the system. Computer science students from The University of Michigan were able to successfully hack their way into the program, showing the deficiencies of the system. If computer scientists were able to develop a safer voting system, online voting would be an effective way to increase voter turnout. Americans spend a great deal of time on the Internet nowadays, and online voting would help increase voter turnout. An efficient system would invalidate excuses such as “I didn’t have time to vote” or “The election site was too crowded”; however, until safer mechanisms for online voting are developed, the polls will continue to be the primary institution in American elections.