Vote Here Technologies released the source code to their electronic voting system this week. Vote Here uses an interesting twist on the paper trail that allows each voter to verify on the Internet that their individual vote was correctly tallied. Here's how it works:

[Vote Here CEO Jim Alder] said the VoteHere method ensures the accuracy of the machines in a way that is more secure than a simple paper receipt. Here's how it works: Next to each candidate's name on the ballot, a random code appears that changes for each voter. After making their selections, voters receive a printed receipt containing their unique codes, along with encrypted information that assures that the codes match the correct candidates. Once the voters verify their votes, they cast their ballots on the machine. After the election, voting codes appear on the county website so voters can see that the codes on their receipts translated to a counted vote. While the county tallies the votes, the public can tally them independently as well.

Adler said nonpartisan watchdog groups and computer scientists also could verify the results independently in this way to ensure that no votes were lost or changed.

From Wired News: See-Through Voting Software
Referenced Thu Apr 08 2004 07:17:15 GMT-0600