The York Federation of Students hit back last week at the criticisms levied by E-Vote Now, a group pushing for online voting systems to be used by the YFS.
“To say that online voting increases voter turnout is false and ignores the evidence that in many instances, actually reduces voter turnout,” says YFS President Mithilen Mathipalan.
According to Mathipalan, E-Vote Now overstates the benefits and downplays the problems of online voting. He named computer error, possibility of voter manipulation, and ease with which systems can be tampered with as some of the problems plaguing online voting.
“By contrast, ballot voting is secure, transparent, and universally recognized by Elections Canada and Elections Ontario, as the preferred method of casting votes,” he adds.
Elections Canada could not comment on voting systems, saying that selecting among voting systems is the responsibility of individual jurisdictions.
E-Vote Now spokesperson Eduardo Rodriguez says the YFS can partner up with York to ensure secure online voting.
“If they are afraid of hackers, then the YFS and York should collaborate to invest in strong online security systems,” says Rodriguez.
“They (YFS) mention the chance of computer error, but what about human error? What about the chances of manipulation of the ballot boxes when no one is watching? How safe are the ballot boxes?”
Mathipalan says he has received one anonymous email from E-Vote Now.
“The anonymous complainants are really grasping at straws when they criticize the current electoral system. They make a lot of allegations but provide next to no evidence. The so-called problems they identify were infrequent, and either resolved or only made after-the-fact by losing candidates,” says Mathipalan.
“There is video evidence of poll clerks at Ryerson University stuffing ballot boxes during their student union elections,” claims Rodriguez.
“Also, if evidence is what the YFS needs, then just examine the student union elections at Wilfrid Laurier University, where voter turnout increased the moment that they adopted electronic voting.”
Rodriguez says E-Vote Now has yet to receive a direct response from the YFS.
Alex Kvaskov, Assistant News Editor
Featured image courtesy of Christopher Lai, Comics and Graphics Editor
