Traditional Voting Requirements

Traditional Voting Systems may vary in implementation, but generally they satisfy a small collection of requirements.

There are a few basic desires in a traditional voting system. These requirements are generic, but besides there may be other affordances required of a good voting system.

To ensure that only persons with the right to vote are able to cast a vote

Example

Ensure that people under the age of 18 cannot vote, and person in prison or on parole status cannot vote.

To ensure that every vote cast is counted and each vote is only counted once

Example

Prevent voting fraud by casting multiple votes at multiple voting locations by the same person.

To maintain the voter’s right to form and to express his or her opinion in a free manner, without any coercion or undue influence

Example

To allow blank votes (and to also null votes), and also to prevent anyone from forcing future of votes or punishing for past votes.

To protect the secrecy of the at all stages of the voting process

Example

If a person can see a vote (during counting), they should not see the person before or after the vote is cast; if a polling place helper or otherwise involved person sees a voter before or after the vote is cast, they should not see the vote at any stage otherwise. In addition to the previous example!

To guarantee accessibility to as many voters as possible

Example

To ensure voting is not limited to those that are especially privileged, to allow anyone that can vote the ability to do so and to make accommodations for them.

To make sure the general public as well as stakeholders in the process, have confidence in the process

Example

To ensure that voting persons trust the ballots cast and that votes will contribute equally, as well as to ensure stakeholders, candidates and legislators, have had their due process.

Traditional Voting vs E-Voting

Traditional systems have been used for years. There has been thousands of polls across the world conducted with these core requirements for hundreds of years. Indeed, there may be specialized regional or federal, or perhaps even implementation specific additions to these — but these serve as a basis.

E-Voting Requirements do not differ entirely, but e-voting adds to the base requirements a number of additional requirements to combat specific technological differences. You should review our list of E-Voting Requirements to learn more about those differences.

Credits

Credit goes to Ace Project for this brief list of requirements. While they might have been for e-voting, they are absolutely required for traditional voting.