The History and Politics of Voting Technology - In Quest of Integrity and Public Confidence (Electronic book text)

From raised hands to hanging chads, people communicating opinions is a fundamental attribute of democratic practice based on the profound belief that elected representatives implement the preferences of the people. The Florida fiasco of 'hanging chads' brought to international attention the inexact methods of counting votes. But while that case received much exposure, it was not the first time that outdated and flawed methods of registering votes generated drama, affected election outcomes, and created doubt in the fairness and representativeness of America's election system. Saltman here traces the evolution of voting technology in the USA, from voice to digital, highlighting how the antiquated systems in use today are a legacy of the industrial revolution of the Nineteenth-century and the early computer revolution of the 1950s. Why certain technologies are adopted rather than others, and the tangled responsibilities of federal, state, and local authorities in facilitating, monitoring, and counting the votes, create a sad picture of this elemental civic duty.