Can I make a prediction about touch screen voting?

[ThomCat]

I predict that once touch screen voting becomes the norm a whole new science is going to develop; deliberate placement of voting elements on a screen.

Given how sensitive those screens can be, there is going to be a certain significant amount of mis-touches that cause mis-votes. (I never underestimate user-error, or the ability to anticipate it and capitalize on it.)

Mis-touches will probably happen more frequently in certain parts of the screen (probably the right side because most people are right handed?) and the people who program the layout of those screens are going to put their favored candidates in those regions of the screen.

That's my prediction.

What else do you see? (other than the obvious hacking and double books that we already know about, of course.)

[wkirby]

1. Interesting prediction . . .

I completely agree with your point. This Presidential election will be my first with touch screen voting, and I wonder . . . is the incumbant candidate generally on the left or right side of the screen? Maybe someone around here knows.

-Will

[aquart]

2. Let's plan for touchscreen voting to be outlawed instead.

[ThomCat]

3. I doubt that we will get that far.

I think getting voter verifiable paper reciepts is going to be a monumental struggle.

But I agree with you that I'd love to simple go back to paper ballots.

[Qutzupalotl]

5. In many states the ability to have a recount is written into law.

Therefore touchscreen voting without a paper trail is illegal, even though it looks like it will be in place for this election.

[ClintonTyree]

4. The other day...................

I was in the Laundramat (busted washer) and was playing a touch screen arcade game in there to pass the time. Every time I pressed one icon on the screen, another icon on the other side of the screen would register. I can certainly see this happening to touch screen voting without a doubt.