Computer Voting not a good thing

This is not a rant about the evils of computer voting and the controversy about no tracking or verification of paperless ballots. This is a realistic opinion about the reality of why computer based voting is not practical in a real time, real life reality. Why should there not be computer voting should not be a discussion about the evils of non-traceable voting.

Computer based voting could more easily be argued against using an obsolescence and rarity of use argument. IT is unusual and unique in its nature for advancement and speed of obsolescence. It is said that computer technology turns over every 18 months. Many companies and governments turn over their IT equipment every 3 to 4 years. Municipalities buy voting equipment rarely due to low usage and high costs.

It makes no sense to replace voting equipment every time a vote is to take place. Could you imagine for every election the county or other entity had to acquire new voting apparatus? The cost of equipment and training and awareness would be unbelievably prohibitive. But by using computers for elections is exactly what this mandates. Voting normally happens every two years. IT advances at a rate faster than a single election cycle. However it makes no sense to replace voting technology at the same rate that IT as a whole advances.

Ask, what IT department or CIO would use their computer equipment once then store it for two years then boot it up and use it again without knowing that there would be all kinds of problems. No CIO worth their stock options would think this is a model of best practices. Why would a state secretary of state or county registrar be asked to think any differently. But that is exactly what we expect of these people when we insist on computer based voting.

I can only imagine after having experienced the problems we are about to experience that we would be eager to experience even more problems during the next election cycle. Add to this the fact that most of the poll watchers and helpers and volunteers are 70+ years old and what we are creating is a recipe for disaster. I can hear the lyrics to "welcome to my nightmare," running through my mind already.