How does a continent that has suffered decades of state capture and democratic decline ensure free, fair and participatory electoral processes for effective democratic governance? Or maybe technology is the answer. (Delwyn Verasamy, M&G)
To date, South Africa's paper-based elections have been largely free and fair. The absence of election court cases regarding ballot preparation or tabulation fraud is sufficient evidence to support this. While this is a real boon for the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), the recent addition of independent candidates to the ballot presents some new challenges that may necessitate a move to electronic voting. It is occurring.
Does the length of the vote matter that much?
The anticipated increase in paper ballot length due to the inclusion of independent candidates and the relative position of each candidate on the physical ballot will undoubtedly impact political campaigns and voter behavior. will give you.
Apart from ballot design, which needs to reduce forgery, longer physical ballots increase the cost of producing ballots and have the potential to intimidate voters. A recent study of voting in the Philippines (where some ballots were 7 feet long) revealed the unintended consequences of these absurd ballot lengths. Voters experienced cognitive overload, which increased voter tension, especially among voters who were elderly, illiterate, or had special needs.
Does the candidate’s position matter?
Recent research suggests that this ballot choice fatigue, or “roll-off,” affects participation, as voters are less likely to choose candidates lower down on the ballot. Research shows that the roll-off of choice fatigue reduces turnout by 6 to 8 percentage points.
Research also shows that alphabetizing candidates or party names can unintentionally bias candidates. Some election commissions reduce this bias through straw voting, party membership size, and party performance in previous similar elections. Interestingly, placement at the top or bottom of the ballot is considered primary placement. This has been proven to improve relative positional performance. Candidates in key positions use their rankings to gain votes through clever slogans such as “Vote last – to make a lasting impact” or “Vote first for the top candidates.” It is known that the election campaign is based on
IFP late show
Remember how some claimed that the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) played chicken in the first democratic elections in 1994? Forced addition to. Some observers believe this was the IFP's main effect strategy to gain an advantage in the polls.
Is it time to move to digital voting?
To alleviate main effect strategies in paper-based voting, Mary Beth Beasley proposed ballot rotation, which randomizes or rotates the placement of candidates across all printed ballots. She coined the fun phrase, “An ounce of rotation is worth a pound of her lawsuit.” However, this rotation is a major challenge in print production. Randomizing the ballots would significantly increase the cost of producing them, which we cannot afford. This is the paradox of progress.
This sets the stage for a radical new approach: electronic voting. Electronic voting is an electronic means of obtaining votes and counting or tallying votes. States are at their most vulnerable between the time voting begins and the results are announced. Electronic voting allows for rapid voting and eliminates this period. This was demonstrated when Brazil, which has 156 million voters, announced its run-off results hours after the election.
Electronic voting returns after US disaster
In the aftermath of the 2020 US presidential election, electronic voting suffered serious reputational damage internationally. Fox News Network has repeatedly made claims about the role Smartmatic and Dominion voting machines played in Trump's election loss. Fox and Dominion Voting Systems were sued, but he was ultimately paid a $787 million settlement for his false claims. The Smartmatic issue is still being fought in court. This case is important because the court found that the machines were not tampered with and counterintuitively increased the reputation and credibility of electronic voting.
Is it time to cross the digital bridge?
Electronic voting allows for randomization of candidates, with navigation to easily search large lists of candidates, and customized navigation to assist voters with disabilities. Young voters are also more likely to engage meaningfully with digital voting processes than with paper voting processes.
Given existing awkward coalition governments and the potential for expansion of national and local coalitions, electronic voting could foster more effective and participatory democracy through more frequent electronic referendums and plebiscites. can.
However, the key challenges are high capital investment costs, unreliable power grids, and the need for changes in the voting ecosystem. Whether we like it or not, we live in an instant digital world. We want results quickly. Delays in results could create or even heighten suspicions of election interference. The time has come for electronic voting to move from the fringes to the mainstream.
Colin Thakur is Professor of ICT at the Durban University of Technology. He is also the head of his unit on short courses and his InSETA research chair on digitalization. Professor Thakur also contributes to the research activities of his Tayarisha Center for Digital Excellence at Wits School of Governance.
digital african. This article is part of The Digital Afrikan’s Election Series – 2024. The Digital Afrikan is a journalism organization with a mission to drive Africa's digital transformation.Visit our website or contact us here [email protected].