Other arguments in favor of paper ballots:
1. The MIT-Caltech study showed that paper ballots had the lowest error rate
in 2000, if memory serves me.
2. Most dictators lose elections with paper ballots. It was pretty easy to
tell that Milosevic stole the election in Serbia with paper ballots. The
Mexican PRI lost with paper ballots.
Sure, some of this is experience -- e.g., people are familiar with this
technology, so they make fewer mistakes. So, arguably, with enough training
and voter education, an electronic system might work. Two countries now use
semi-electronic and computer systems: Costa Rica and Brazil. At least for
CR, I know that citizens are automatically registered and the Supreme
Tribunal of Elections spends a time and money on educating citizens
(conditions completely absent in the US).
3. A lot of the preference for computer systems stems from aggressive
companies. Yet, computer systems like so many electronic databases
emphasize speed and accesibility. They don't emphasize information
retrieval, which is key for transparency. In Bolivia last year, I asked
local officials interested in a non paper system how they could guarantee
transparency, and they had few answers.
Fabrice Lehoucq
Division of Political Studies
Centro de Investigaci—n y Docencia Econ—mica (CIDE)
Carret. Mexico-Toluca 3655
Lomas de Santa Fˇ, Mexico City, DF, CP 01210
Tel. 52/5727-9800, ext. 2215 (voice) & -9871 or 9873 (fax)
E-mail: Fabrice.Lehoucq@cide.edu