Binary democracy : voter confidence and voting technologies.

Abstract

The specific type of voting machine used by voters could have an affect on the amount of confidence they feel about the accuracy of their votes being recorded. This thesis studies different types of voting machines and the ramifications they have on voters. Using a survey of more than 400 people, this paper seeks to find a relationship between different methods of voting and the amount of confidence a voter feels. The results show that voters who interface with a voting machine that leaves a paper trail are more likely to feel confident that their votes are recorded correctly. The antiquated federal system for updating voting equipment should be changed so that states receive a yearly appropriation to keep their voting technology up-to-date.