Re: Advantages of hand-marked, paper ballots
I think a hybrid system has some chance of working.
Basically, enter your selections on a computer. Ballot is printed (works well with first past the post systems, not so much the Australian Senate Ballot paper). Printed paper is available for perusal and verification. If it checks out, punter clicks "ok" and paper ballot goes in to sealed ballot box. Pnuematic tubes and all that, clear, so it can be seen to go in by said punter.
Upon clicking "ok", the electronic ballot is registered. Printed paper means that the there can be a recount in case of suspected fraud or tampering. There is still the possibility for manual, postal, ballots Special ballot papers for the blind and visually impaired.
Discrepancies *should* be in the low single digits per polling place. Except for the human factor of course.
Goddam it, if we want to then the flunkies could even organise so that each ticket has a qr code the punters could scan so that the whole lot is pre-selected, then the above mentioned steps take place.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
