Election Managers Preview Internet Voting Technology

US & Aussie Firms Team For The Future of Public Sector Balloting

(PRWEB) July 17, 2004 -- Given todays pre-election hullabaloo over the integrity of electronic poll-site voting machines, the hundreds of US election officials descending on San Antonio this weekend for their annual trade conference and technology trade show (see IACREOT http://www.iacreot.com ) are likely not expecting to preview Internet Voting -- but 'point & click balloting is there for a test drive.

Welcome to the not too distant future of electronic remote voting," declared John Bodin, Managing Partner of The ElectionTRUST, a Seattle election management firm that has partnered with Everyone Counts, a Melbourne-based developer of state-of-the-art remote electronic voting applications. We think its the right time to introduce our democratic gate-keepers to the next generation of opt-in, off-site balloting -- a voting methodology that is already widely used in the private sector."

Bodin added, It may seem counter-intuitive to showcase an election technology that is sure to be a target for zealous critics. However, we believe the 'good news result of the current election technology controversy will be enlightened federal and state certification and testing standards that will eventually recognize the real advantages of a transparent, secure and a manageable online voting system that many voters will want to use and every election supervisor will be able to deliver."

Craig Burton, Principal of Everyone Counts, knows that public confidence is the key to the acceptance of any balloting system. The debate over touch screen voting will soon migrate to a discussion around the need for voters to verify their ballot has been counted. Our system does that."

We are confident," Burton said, that with the advent of stringent authentication tools such as biometric and digital identifiers, a properly open-code Internet voting option that is rigorously tested and supervised will be the evolutionary next-step to the present use of so-called 'absentee paper ballots that are dependent on the post office for two-way delivery...and whose eventual inclusion in a final tally is not verifiable."

Bodin concluded, Our experience in the private sector has demonstrated that as younger voters mature they want the same efficiency and practicality in voting they experience daily in other electronically-driven transactions. Were dedicated to providing election supervisors that in-demand, modern service option without sacrificing ballot privacy or accountability."

Everyone Counts/The ElectionTRUST can be found at booth #708 of the IACREOT Exhibitor Trade Show being held at San Antonios Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center (210.207.8500) July 19-20.

About Everyone Counts PL www.everyonecounts.com
Everyone Counts (E1C) has run more than 160 legally binding Internet elections. It is a registered provider to the government of the United Kingdom and includes among its clients the UK Labour Party, the Australian Defense Department, British Telephone, Accenture and KPMG (Bearing Point). E1Cs flagship eLect software is built on open code to enable private balloting within a transparent election process.

About The ElectionTRUST LLC www.electiontrust.com
The ElectionTrust is a 'Third Party balloting authority. Its election managers have executed many 'mission critical' Private Sector votes, including national political party nominations, corporate governance balloting and a Congress-mandated 'check-off tax referenda. November 2nd The ElectionTRUST conducts the 'Kids Vote Too mock online Presidential vote engaging public school students in Okaloosa County, Florida.

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