Background

According to the United States Public Policy Council of ACM, internet voting means, “Returning an electronic form of a voted ballot over the internet using email, a web application, or an internet based fax or phone (e.g. the iPhone)”(USACM). There are two kinds of internet voting: voting on a committed machine, such as kiosk machines that are only for casting votes, and uncommitted machines, like home and library computers and smart phones. Internet voting with committed machines can be properly configured to prevent malicious software to interfere with voting, while uncommitted machines may be corrupted by malware and hackers that may try to taint voting.  Internet voting systems contains technologies that must establish the correct authentications of individuals and the security of that vote. Encryption and electronic signatures is necessary to maintain the anonymity of individual votes and their personal identifying information.