Towards One Person, One Vote via Real-Time Voter s Registration and Identification

Transcription

1 Towards One Person, One Vote via Real-Time Voter s Registration and Identification B. Isong 1, O. Ekabua 2 and M. Mbodila 3 1 Department of Computer Science and Information Systems, University of Venda, Thohoyandou, South Africa 2 Department of Computer Science, North West University, Mmabatho, South Africa 3 Science Foundation - Computer Science Unit, University of Venda, Thohoyandou, South Africa Abstract - The transparency and trustworthiness of any electoral process and their result is what characterized it to be free and fair. Although many voting systems exist, yet the voting systems does not guarantee one man one vote, nor ensures that the vote is cast by an authentic person. This results to discrepancies like chain voting, multiple voting, and impersonation emanating from multiple registrations during the electoral process. When these exist, the trustworthiness and the integrity of our elections are threatened and compromised resulting to failures or corruption of the democratic process. To stop these forms of elections fraud, voters need some form of identification in a real-time mode beginning from the registration exercise. Our objective is to propose a form of voter s registration and identification that ensures that one person votes only once. In this paper, we propose a solution of dealing with the problems during elections through the use of real-time registration and identification of voters utilizing RFID and biometric technologies. Keywords: Elections, Election frauds, Registration, Identification, Democracy, RFID 1 Introduction Since the 17 th century, elections have been the standard mechanism by which modern representative democracy has functioned. Elections constitute government initiated process that provides citizens with a service decided by a vote. It is seen as a viable decision making mechanism through which democracy can be empowered. The end product is always the election result. To have an acceptable result, it is thus crucial to organize elections in an unbiased and fair way devoid of manipulations [17]. This is because the public can only gain confidence in the electoral system if it is based on transparently fair, strong procedures and working methods [1][11][20]. One way to achieve this is when some form of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) tools are employed. The application and impact of ICTs on electoral processes, particularly the electronic voting (e-voting) systems have been beneficial. These systems have improved efficiency in the voting process as evidenced in many developed nations. Winners of elections and the entire general public are usually pleased with the outcome if it is sufficiently transparent, accurate, free and fair, though it is more challenging to persuade the losers (and their supporters) that they lost [7]. Countries such as the US, UK, France Russia, Brazil, France, India, etc. have already deployed e-voting widely [7][20]. Despite the benefits associated with the use of e-voting systems, that is, increased public confidence and participation in the political process, greater convenience in terms of voting time and location, reduced cost, access to people with disabilities, etc.[8][20], modern election systems still suffers large scale election frauds called voter s frauds. The nature of theses frauds is particularly, the problems of voter s authentication and verification and his/her eligibility to vote. The voting system does not pledge that the vote is cast by an authentic person or one person, one vote. This gives way for foul practices in the electoral process like chain voting [12], multiple voting, ghosts voting or impersonation. When voting systems of this nature exist, the trustworthiness and the integrity of our elections are threaten and compromised [4]. These will in turn results to failures or corruption of democracy [5]. In order to rid our elections of doubts and opportunities for fraud and failures [13][14][15][16] the systems has to be made more transparent, trustworthy, accurate and reusable. One way to achieve this is through real-time registration and identification of voters. This approach will ensure that an eligible voter vote only once. The objective of this paper is to propose a form of voter s registration and identification that ensures that one person votes only once in an election. Therefore, in this paper, we propose a solution of dealing with the problems in the voting system through the use of real-time registration and identification of voters during election. The system makes use of radio frequency identification-based (RFID-based) voter s card. We also discussed benefits of the system in general. These are discussed in subsequent sections. 2 Challenges in Modern Electoral Systems One of the major issues facing modern electoral system, particularly, e-voting is having substantial public confidence in the electoral process as well as its results [20]. The system

2 is faced with huge amount of flaws worsen by programming errors [8]. It introduces new sets of risks, doubts and opportunities for fraud and failure and the technologies used are not as safe, trustworthy, dependable, etc [7]. Most of these issues have already been reported in the US being mostly caused by the Direct Recording Electronic (DREs) voting machines [4]. The situation showed a number of system deficiencies such as confusing ballots, registration mix up, systems failure on election day, software bugs preventing votes being recorded, hard to use interfaces, recount impossibility, mistakes in polling place operations, and even absentee ballot problems that caused the losses of millions of votes [4][7][8][17]. These recorded problematic situations have reduced public confidence and trust on the democratic process world wide. It has also brought about a global trend of moving away from e-voting and widespread criticism. In addition, the voting systems at large do not guarantee that the vote is cast by an authentic voter or one person voting only once. This therefore create avenue for frauds in the electoral process like multiple voting and impersonation. With systems of this nature, the trustworthiness and the integrity of our elections can be undermined with the sideeffects of failures or corruption of democracy [5]. It is based on this pitfall we proposed a system of real-time registration and identification. 3 The Proposed Approach Our approach is based on the need to ensure that one voter vote only once in order to rid doubts and failures opportunity in our elections. This solution is based on realtime registration and identification of voters before being allowed to vote. The system consists of real-time registration, RFID-based voter s card that utilizes the electronic product code (EPC) [10][17][18] and the biometrics technology for finger prints, etc. for real-time identification. The layout of the polling station and path of a voter in the proposed system is shown in Fig. 1. The application of this election approach will go along way to reducing voter frauds during elections that have since threatened the integrity of our elections. Basically, our system tends to offer an electoral system that is reliable and transparent with minimum or no possible fraudulent practices. That is, provides authentication and verification of the voters, preventing multiple voting or impersonation, allows for audit and recount of votes anytime and anywhere and pave way for reusability of the election assets [9][17]. 4 Overview of the System The proposed system combines a number of existing modern systems of voting ideas in an innovative way, with motivating new variations RFID and biometric technology. The system components are discussed below. Internet Inspectors Central DB Voter Authentication & Verification Ballot Paper Polling Station Polling Booth Polling Box Reception Desk RIFD Voter s Card & Biometrics Checking Entrance Exit Auditors Figure 1: Layout of the polling station and voter identification process 4.1 The Voter s ID Card The voter s card is the identity card (ID card) received after being registered as eligible electorate for voting purposes. The proposed voter s card is RFID-based, having a tag that stores the unique code (EPC) for a particular voter s information in the central database. The card is just a standard ID card designed with simplicity and convenience with the passport photograph of the holder appearing on the front side of the card (See Fig. 2). This card can serve a dual purpose like voting card, national ID card etc., and is reusable in subsequent elections. Figure 2: Voter s ID Card Sample 4.2 The Central Database We propose a central database where all voters information collected during voter s registration exercise will be stored. For countries with already existing central database, this will be an added advantage. For those without existing one, the central database can be created during voter s registration exercise by capturing the necessary information. This database can also serve a dual purpose. That is, it can be made available to other sectors of government and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in a read-only mode.

3 4.3 Network Connectivity For the effective operation, we propose a fast network access to the central database in order to store and retrieve voter s information within milliseconds without compromising registration and voting time respectively. Preferably, a wireless local area network (WLAN) is required to connect devices (i.e. mobile readers/pc and Biometric) at several pool station to the central database. Though security is an issue at this point, issues of security attacks will be addressed later. 4.4 Real-Time Registration of Voters This is the first and crucial exercise in any election process where voter s information can be captured for storage and onward use. In most countries, there has been a culture of multiple registrations or one person registering for another during the exercise at different locations. This is as a result of lack of security measures to identify and track them down during registration exercise. In short, the system does not guarantee that one person registered only once. With the challenges faced by our modern electoral systems, voter s registration has to be conducted in a way that ensures one person, one vote. This can be achieved through the following procedures: Step 1: Data collection At the registration centre, voter s information can be collected through the use of Mobile PC equipped with AIDC (Automatic Identification and Data Capture) technology like the biometric technology. These systems will be connected directly and wirelessly to the central database during the registrations exercise. The mobile PC will be used to collect the Names, Sex, DateofBirth, Height, PlaceofBirth, Blood Group, Permanent home address and Nationality, etc [17]. On the other hand, the biometric technology will be used to collect Fingerprints and Passport photograph of the voter. Step 2: Data Management During the course of the registration, all information collected from a voter will be recorded, updated and store in a real-time mode into the central database. The biometric information (i.e. Finger prints) stored in the database will make it impossible for someone to register/vote twice even with a different voter s information or at different places. (See Fig. 3). Step 3: Card Issuance At the end of the registration exercise, perhaps, after a month the RFID-based voter s card will be issued to all registered individuals. The RFID tag on each card will have a unique EPC code which will be used to query the central database on a real-time mode to provide fast and reliable identification of the potential voter. VOTER S REGISTRATION CENTRE(s) G A T E W A Y Figure 3: Real-Time Voter s Registration The essence of the real-time registration is to ensure that a voter has only one voter s card and vote only once. For instance, if a voter has finished registering in one center and decide to go to another center to register, his/her information in the national database can be used to track he/she down and be denied registration immediately. 5 Activities at the Polling Station 5.1 Real-Time Identification and voting The first operation at the polling station is simply the realtime identification process. In this process, each voter will be individually identified against the information stored in the central database on a real-time mode. The operations within the system are simply authentication and verification [17] (see Fig. 1). As a voter enters the polling station with his/her RFID-based voter s card, the card is scanned with the RFID mobile reader by an electoral official. Simultaneously, the fingerprint scanner will be used to authenticate the voter (that is, providing twolayer security to voter s information). Upon valid authentication, specific information collected or documented about the voter during registration will display on the mobile PC. The information expected is just the voter s photograph, Name, Age, Place/Date of registration and Voting status. The voter is then allowed to vote independently with the voting status changed from 0 to 1. On the other hand, upon invalid authentication, the person is sent out of the voting place without been allowed to vote. Voting can take any strategy either the traditional approach or through the use of voting machine. 5.2 At the End of Voting NETWORK CENTRAL DATABASE At the end of the real-time identification and probably voting, the ballots are collated depending on the strategy utilized (manually or electronically) and the results computed. Winners are announced following the outcome.

4 This approach permits auditing and recounting to be carry out if need arises. With this, the number of voters who actually voted will be compared with the number of votes obtained in order to put falsification of figures/results under check. The information in the central database provides a means to check for discrepancies before results are officially announced. With this process in place, the general public (i.e., winners, supporters and international communities) can have full confidence in the electoral system since it is based upon transparently fair, robust and working method [9]. This will surely protect the integrity of our elections. 6 Discussions Our proposed form of voter registration and identification will set a simple and clear standard for protecting the integrity of our elections if implemented. This will be more advantageous in developing countries where impersonation, multiple registrations and voting is the order of the election. In most countries, proxy voting, multiple registrations and voting are serious problems that sometimes lead to anarchy and failure of democracy. Situation like this tends to undermine the integrity of our elections and even threaten democracy at large. Elections have to be conducted in a transparent manner and results generally accepted by the public. One way to achieve these is by the use of real-time registration and identification of voters. With the implementation of this approach, lot of benefits can be derived. These benefits are highlighted as follows. Firstly, the approach promotes re-usability of tools. That is, RFIDbased cards can be re-used in present election as well as in subsequent ones. With this, huge savings can be promoted or made on the part of the government in terms of time, effort and cost of procuring sets of new tools [9]. Secondly, RFIDbased voter s card can be use as national ID card and in any other identification capacity. This will be an added advantage especially for countries where national ID card never existed. It will help to eliminate any forms of impersonation or criminal activities. Lastly, with our proposed approach, national central database can be implemented especially where central database never existed also. This will rid the wastage of resources in creating and procuring new ones every time the need arises. The national central database will as well provide supports to other sector of government (e.g. the national population census etc.) and the NGOs. With the mode of operation of this proposed approach, there are lots of factors that might impede its implementation or operation. We perceived resistance to change could be one of such factors [17]. This could manifest due to selfish/conflicting interest to continually committing election frauds. Another inevitable impediment is security attacks which could be physical or logical. Lastly are maintenance issues of not regularly maintaining the database. We believe this will be a difficult task except during registration exercise. 7 Conclusions In this paper, we presented ideal ways to curb election frauds during elections. We proposed the real-time registrations and identification of voters before they are allowed to vote. Many voting system exist but failed to pledge that the vote is cast by the right person. Our approach takes a simple and clear approach to protect the integrity of our elections- ensuring one man, one vote in an election. It uses RFID and biometrics technologies to enable real-time registration and RFID-based card for unique identification of voters in order to eliminate voting frauds relating to multiple registrations, multiple voting, impersonation, etc. The approach will offer electoral system that is transparent, trustworthy and reusable. 8 References [1] Gronlund, A. Democracy in an IT-framed society. 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