Vulnerability of Computerized Vote-Counting Systems

Group Members:

• Doug Ihde
• Minnie Ingersoll
• Emily Lewis
• Joe Newsum

"A new kind of political machine is quietly gaining a foothold in Northern Virginia. It's cold, it's calculating, and election officials say its spread is inevitable.

It's the electronic voting machine, the space-age successor to the heavy, lever-laden mechanical booth, and it may be coming soon to a polling place near you."

- Steve Bates. "Computer Age Comes To Va. Polls; New Machines Said To Be Voter-Friendly." The Washington Post. November 3, 1989; METRO; PAGE D1

Abstract

The use of voting machines and computerized ballot-counting has grown enormously over the past two decades. Despite gains in popularity, the use of computers in elections has made many computer security experts uneasy about the potential for massive errors and fraud. This study examines historical incidents of computer fraud, government guidelines and legislation, as well as inherent risks of increased dependence on computers in elections. Finally, we present our own recommendations for the future.

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