Potomac Fever: Which jobs will be eaten by technology?

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Roxy said...: Yesterday when Marc was telling us all about the recount in MN, all I could think about was how in 10 years (or even earlier), a recount by hand because x number of people didn't "fill in the circle correctly" will be ancient history. I think pretty soon voting booths will be completely computerized, and frankly I'm surprised they aren't already. Clicking in a computer bubble leaves no stray pen marks, no questions. A voter would not be able to draw smiley faces or monsters, cross names out, or write-in arrows. The thousands and thousands of lawyers invovled and millions of dollars spent doing these recounts, and the time wasted debating a half v. two-thirds filled bubble would simply not be an issue. Computers are already designed to read these paper ballots so the next step is no paper at all, just voter-friendly computers at every polling location and no need for humans to feed ballots into machines, recount ballots, make decisions on ballots, etc. Even in 2011 with all of the technology we have it seems a little ridiculous people are arguing (and spending money) over 1/2 filled v. circled v. "X" in a political election; February 17, 2011 at 9:29 AM
TJE said...: Some think that we are near on-line voting. Others worry about issues of security.; February 17, 2011 at 9:41 AM