A call for collaborative academic and practitioner efforts to address remote‐access voting methods
Transforming Government: People, Process and Policy
ISSN: 1750-6166
Article publication date: 27 July 2012
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to provide a timely discussion of the important topic of remote‐access voting technology.
Design/methodology/approach
First, an introduction to the topic is offered; second the existing state of the art is considered; third, a brief history of electronic and internet voting methods is presented; and fourth, a short list of critical success factors for remote‐access voting is presented. Finally, a conclusion is offered surrounding how academics and practitioners can collaboratively proceed to address the salient issues and barriers that currently prohibit the advancement of remote‐access voting.
Findings
There is a brief and largely successful history involving applications of information communication technologies (ICTs) and computer technology to assist in data capture and tabulation of democratic elections. While several critical issues have been identified, none has been so significant that an end‐game strategy should be invoked rather than continued innovation. Concurrently, the business world has witnessed an expanding use of computer‐based infrastructures and enhanced ICTs to facilitate the processing of remote‐access commercial transactions. These advancements have provided a rich opportunity to seek out, identify, and address the substantive operational issues permitting the successful expansion of a variety of business methods, models, and processes. While these successes have provided a solid foundation upon which e‐government voting systems can be attempted, such a process improvement has been elusive to this date with many of the real issues and concerns seeming to be too large to resolve.
Originality/value
The paper considers the important issue of remote‐access voting as a means for supporting the expansion and refinement of democratic processes across the world through increased citizen participation.
Keywords
Citation
Rosacker, R.E. and Rosacker, K. (2012), "A call for collaborative academic and practitioner efforts to address remote‐access voting methods", Transforming Government: People, Process and Policy, Vol. 6 No. 3, pp. 230-238. https://doi.org/10.1108/17506161211251245
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2012, Emerald Group Publishing Limited