Electronic Voting

A recent report published by the Town of Chatham Finance Committee says the following about Electronic Voting at Town Meeting:

According to records shared by the Massachusetts Moderator’s Association and the Town of Wayland, over 70 communities in the Commonwealth have adopted electronic voting practices for their town meetings ...  According to meeting records, studies and reports from a range of these towns, these municipalities acted after considerable due diligence and after becoming assured over concerns about data security, personal privacy, accuracy, and timeliness of vote counting. Every municipality the Electronic Voting Working Group and the Moderator spoke with, or read about, expressed no reservations whatsoever about their adoption of electronic voting. The experience of these communities provides a very sturdy foundation upon which to conduct our analysis. 

Perhaps somewhat surprisingly, studies cited by prospective vendors of voting systems to Chatham suggest that the primary interest of voters when considering the adoption of electronic voting is its ability to enhance privacy. It seems that neighbors and local merchants share a concern over whether their neighbors or customers know how they vote on a particular topic. Next among interests is the ability of electronic voting to accurately and quickly tabulate vote results. Lastly, the research shows that electronic voting curates a more positive meeting environment by eliminating voice votes when one or both sides resorts to shouting to suggest more enthusiasm for a particular issue...

Click here to read the entire report

Residents have been urging Lincoln's town leadership to make this improvement for years, and leadership has been discussing it.  Now, with highly consequential issues to consider, one wonders what all the delays are about.  

A primary excuse has been the expense. An electronic voting system for Lincoln would cost approximately $27,000. Many residents have pointed out that the cost is reasonable, considering the value of residents’ time. Residents currently sit for hours on end, through disorganized voting procedures, in order to exercise their right to vote. Consider also that Lincoln recently approved $26,000 for fireworks—ironically, for a day intended to celebrate democracy. Surely there are funds to advance our voting system, in the name of democracy. 

Residents have also pointed out that more efficient, electronic voting would create more time to discuss the actual issues—a cherished tenet of Town Meeting—and would avoid having that discussion shut down by impatient attendees.

Now is the time for bold action. Town leadership needs to recognize the research, implementation, and success of so many other towns across the Commonwealth—by adopting electronic voting clickers immediately.