4 .

Computerized Voting - Reading

* Computerized Voting
* Reading /

Once a society has embraced the concept of democracy, there remains the problem of
how to implement public voting so it is fair, safe from tampering, private and accessible to
everyone. A great deal of attention has been focused on electronic voting that is the use of
a touch screen or other computer or electronic device to cast a ballot. Its benefits are
rather substantial compared to traditional paper-based voting systems.
Key Ideas
* Electronic Voting
- comp. & Elec. Devices
- benefits comp.2 trad. paper voting

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Firstly, the prospect of electronic voting seems irresistible because it prevents voters from
registering their votes incorrectly by accident. At the booth, voters typically see an ATM-like
interactive screen with candidates' names; then they touch the screen to make a selection.
The computer does not let them choose too many. When they are done, voters see a
summary screen with their choices, accept it, and press an icon to end their session. Thus,
as checking their votes step-by-step on the screen, they can minimize the possibility of
their votes unintentionally being registered incorrectly.
Main Point 1
* Prevents incorrect voting by acci.
- ATM like & user friendly
- checking step-by-step
- minimize incorrect voting

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Secondly, paper ballots could be lost, changed, misread or added to. Poll workers often
make mistakes when counting votes. However, the machines store votes on PC cards and
count votes precisely. Before the polls open, the machines provide a printout showing that
there has been no voting activity; at day's end, a similar printout shows total activity with
tallies. If required, machines can also then print each of the ballots cast that day.
Main Point 2
* Paper ballots
- lost, changed, misread, added
- mistakes when countering
- E voting store votes in PC cards & count precisely
- before & after print out show clear tallies

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Lastly, all organizations such as banks and governments today rely on computer and
information technology to operate more efficiently. The widespread use of computerized
systems, for example, ATMs have made our lives more convenient. Although some critics
have raised concerns such as reliability of the software and hardware and the potential lack

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of security in electronic voting systems, the software and hardware utilized in electronic
voting are as reliable and secure as those currently used in banks and governments.
Main Point 3
* Organizations: Banks & Govts
rely on comp. & IT efficient
- e voting: hard & software + security reliable and secure like those in banks & Govts

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 4 . Computerized Voting - Listening

* Casting doubts!

Okay, lets talk about computerized voting systems. The e-voting debate has been
simmering ever since the flaws in Florida's punch-card voting system. Hundreds of millions
of dollars have been spent since then to upgrade voting systems, with much of that going
to paperless e-voting systems. The recently proposed computerized voting systems sound
good in theory but in reality there are several problematic factors for proponents of the
system to consider. Now we are going to look closely at those factors one-by-one.
Key Ideas
* Computerized Voting
- in reality problematic factors

The first and the most fundamental problem of computerized voting is that a quite large
number of people feel that so called electronic voting is not easy to use.not user friendly
at all. According to a study released on several computerized elections held in the States
recently, almost one out of seven voters had to ask for assistance in the middle of voting,
which hmm.. makes it almost public voting. Furthermore, computerized voting can be a
barrier for voters who are unfamiliar with computers. What would happen when voters do
not know what they have to do with all the complicated process of voting? hmm. those
voters unintentionally give their votes against their will. Thus, as far as I am concerned,
having the idea of computerized voting as a remedy for flawless voting should be
reconsidered.
Main Point 1
* People find it not easy to use
- a study on comp elections in US 1/7 needed assistance
- a barrier for those unfamiliar with comp complicated vote against their will
- not a remedy for flawless voting

Second, while paper ballots and earlier voting technologies have always been subject to
manipulation whether inadvertent or deliberate, the problem with computerized voting is that
a software flaw can result in massive irregularities. The software for these electronic voting
machines is kept proprietary. What I mean is that the risks of having large scale
manipulation are much greater because the same software runs on tens of thousands of
machines. Moreover, it is almost impossible to recount the votes in the event of machine
failure since there is no variable voting paper in the first place.
Main Point 2
* A software flaw - result in massive irregularities
- risks of having large scale manipulation
- failure - impossible to recount the votes since voting paper in the first place

Lastly, yes, banks and governments use a lot of computerized systems and most of the
time, there is no problem for users. However, it did not happen over night. Lets take ATMs
that we use everyday for example, we use them everyday, so bankswhenever they
encounter some sort of mechanical flaws or unfriendly user interfaces of their systems,
they can be informed instantly and rectify them over a period of time. Since it happens on
daily bases they have more data in their hands and they can pay attention almost instantly.

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Buthmm what about elections? How many elections do we have in a year? Once or twice!
It takes more time just to find out what the problems are, not to mention more time to find
out whether they are properly rectified.
Main Point 3
* Organizations: Banks & Govts
- didnt happen over night
- ATM everyday routine when problems instantly informed fix
- election annual event more time to find out & rectify problems

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 4 . Computerized Voting Summary Writing

* 4 OK!
* Keyword , - paraphrasing
* variety !

[Note-taking Point]
Reading Lecture
* Electronic Voting * Computerized Voting
- comp. & Elec. Devices - in reality problematic factors
Key Ideas - benefits comp.2 trad. paper
voting

* Prevents incorrect voting by * People find it not easy to use

acci.
- ATM like & user friendly
Main Point 1 - checking step by step
- minimize incorrect voting
- a study on comp elections in US
1/7 needed assistance
- a barrier for those unfamiliar with
comp complicated vote against
their will
- not a remedy for flawless voting

* Paper ballots * A software flaw - result in massive

- lost, changed, misread, added
- mistakes when countering
Main Point 2 - E voting store votes in PC
cards & count precisely
- before & after print out show
clear tallies
irregularities.
- risks of having large scale
manipulation
- failure - impossible to recount the
votes since voting paper in the first
place.

* Organizations: Banks & Govts * Organizations: Banks & Govts

rely on comp. & IT efficient - didnt happen over night
- e voting: hard & software + - ATM everyday routine when
Main Point 3
security reliable and secure like problems instantly informed fix
those in banks & Govts - election annual event more
time to find out & rectify problems

[Model Writing]
* iBT TOEFL Integrated Writing . .

The lecturer rebuts the claim suggested in the reading that there are more advantages to
computerized voting systems vis-a-vis traditional paper voting systems.

Firstly, in the lecture, the point is made that computerized voting is not user friendly enough.
Many voters who have experienced electronic voting find it hard to use computers to
exercise their rights to vote. Moreover, it is suggested that voters with little education and
experience inadvertently throw out their votes against their will, which is in opposition to the
reading passages claim that computerized voting can reduce the number of voters making
incorrect voting since it is easy to use.

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Secondly, the lecturer states that computerized systems cannot be a remedy for incorrect
vote counting taking place in manual counting of paper votes since there is a possibility of
software and hardware clashes. The lecturer emphasizes that in the event of such system
failure, computerized voting can cause more serious, large scale problems since there is no
way to recount the votes. All these points directly contradict the claim proposed in the
reading that electronic voting can bring precise voting results without making human
mistakes.

Finally, according to the lecture, computerized voting is not as reliable as other electronic
systems used in banks and governments. While those systems could have evolved into
reliable systems through trial and error, taking the full advantage of their nature of being
daily routine activities, to find problems and fix them in such annual events as voting would
take more time. This refutes the reading passages assertion that electronic voting is as
reliable and secure as other computerized systems we encounter everyday.

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[Reading /]

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embrace <v> ,
implement <v> ,
tamper <v> ,
electronic voting <n>
ballot <n> ,
substantial <adj> ,
paper based voting system <n>
prospect <n> , ,
irresistible <adj> , ,
register <v> , , .
candidate <n>
unintentionally <adv>
poll worker <n>
precisely <adv> ,
widespread <adj> ; ;
critics <n>
reliability <n> ,

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[Lecture /]

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simmer <v> ,
problematic <adj>
proponents <n> ,
fundamental <adj>
release <v>
barrier <n> ,
will <n> ,
remedy <n> ,
manipulation <n>
encounter <v>
flaws <n> ,
rectify <v> ,

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[Summary Writing /]

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vis--vis <adv> ~, ~
inadvertently <adv> ; ,
emphasize <v>
trial and error <n>
daily routine <n>