There are numerous problems with the debate about the security of elections that has been ongoing for the past two years. One major issue is that the debate has been very focused and truncated–the threats and risks of electronic voting have shaped the debate, without giving consideration to threats and risks across the election process and across voting technologies. Moreover, this debate has not been well quantified. We discuss risks but not the relative likelihood that any given risk will come to pass, or the likelihood of one risk vis-a-vis another.

In an effort to address this gap in our understanding of election risks, electionline.org, the Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project, and the University of Utah Center for Public Policy and Administration are conducting this informal survey to measure respondents’ assessment of the current threats to the security of the voting process. All responses will be kept confidential, with information reported only in the aggregate and any quotations fashioned so as to protect respondents’ anonymity.

The survey can be accessed HERE. Once you complete the interactive PDF, you just click “submit” and it will email the form to us. We want to have as many different people, and categories of people (election officials, advocates, social scientists, etc.) complete the survey. We will then write up the results in a report on election risks that will come out in 2006.

WE REALLY NEED YOU TO COMPLETE THE SURVEY IN FULL!