Californians will soon be able to register to vote online, following a Sept. 19 announcement by Secretary of State Debra Bowen.
But an organization involved in improving the electorate’s knowledge about politics through technology cautions that a possible next step- voting via the Internet- is not feasible.
Kim Alexander, the daughter of former Culver City commissioner and city councilman Richard Alexander, is the executive director of the nonpartisan California Voter Foundation. The Sacramento-based organization’s mission is to improve democracy through the responsible use of new technology and provide Californians with nonpartisan election and governmental information.
It is responsible for the creation of the world’s first real-time online campaign finance disclosure database.
Alexander feels Bowen’s plan can increase voters at the polls. “The paper ballot voter registration process is not very user-friendly,” she told the News.
At a news conference in Sacramento, Bowen announced that the 6.5 million Californians who are not registered to vote will soon be able to go online and become eligible voters through a new system that election officials say will be able to reduce the amount of time from registering through conventional means.
“Today, the Internet replaces the mailbox for thousands of Californians wishing to register to vote,” the secretary said.
The system will search records at the Department of Motor Vehicles for an applicant’s driver’s license and match it to the electronic form.
While Alexander backs citizens having the ability to register to vote through the Internet, she does not think that the next possible step- voting online- is not a sound idea.
“Online voting and registering to vote online) are two different transactions,” the former Culver City resident explained. “The most important difference is voter registrations are public records and ballots are secret.”
Because of several documented cases of hacking computers and personal online data as well as machine malfunctions, Alexander does not recommend pursuing online voting. “It’s impossible to conduct secure online voting at this time,” she asserted. “The Internet is not the place to conduct safe transactions.”
Culver City City Clerk Martin Cole said providing new methods for allowing citizens to vote is always welcomed.
“As the city’s elections official, I am always encouraged when procedures are improved to make registering to vote more efficient while maintaining security and accuracy of the registered voter rolls,” he said. “As I understand the Secretary of state’s new program, voter registration application information will be cross-checked with information from the Department of Motor Vehicles to verify identity and voting eligibility.
“This is similar to the existing paper-based registration process now available through the secretary’s office and at registrar of voters’ offices throughout the state,” Cole continued. “Voters voting at the polls will still be required to sign the voter roster on Election Day.”
Tom Supple, a 45- year Culver City resident, sees voting through the Internet as a risky proposition. “Until there’s more security, I’d be leery of it,” he said.
Alexander believes ballots cast online would be at great risk due to the lack of any established control protocol. “Ballots can be intercepted, altered and submitted by someone other than the voter,” she said. “It’s very possible that votes could be hijacked.”
When questioned about the now common online shopping habits of perhaps millions of people who frequently use the Internet as well as certain companies that conduct most of their transactions via computer, Alexander said many companies allot a certain amount of funds in their budgets for potential losses.
“But with elections, you can’t do that,” she said. “There could be millions of ballots at stake if they are lost or compromised.”
Supple thinks registering to vote is a good idea, but noted that many people still do not vote.
“It’s easy to register, but it seems a little harder to get people to vote,” he said.
Cole pointed out that Culver City residents use computers to connect to City Hall for a variety for transactions.
“Culver City prides itself in using technology to make City Hall accessible to residents and others even when the doors of City Hall are closed,” he said.
“The city offers many popular services like City Council meeting materials, recreation class registration, and invoice payment available 24/seven days a week through the city’s website at www.culvercity.org.”
All in all, Alexander thinks voter registration through the Internet will soon be the norm in the near future.
“One of the benefits of (online voter registration) is it’s easy and convenient,” she said. “Eventually, I think it will become the predominate form of voter registration.”
California will become the 13 state to use online voter registration.