- Image by TaranRampersad via Flickr
It’s a hectic day – beginning with the dawn, with a gray sky greeting and the promise of rain. A man forces himself to stumble through his routine, knowing he has no time to waste. The polls will be opening soon and he must secure his position. He remembers all too well the debacle that was the last campaign: the lines that stretched across concrete, forcing him to wait for hours (and tempting him almost to abandon the entire idea). He does not wish to vote, even as he knows he must. It’s simply a scramble always to arrive first, finish early and salvage the rest of the afternoon. Civic duty is important but ultimately tedious. He wishes for an alternative.
He is not alone.
The rise of Internet Democracy has led many to consider the notion of turning the common polls into virtual ones – with sites dedicated to the public, allowing them to merely create an account and then verify it through voting. The intention is to simplify the process, ensuring that all efforts are made easy. There are to be no lines, no broken machines, no restless crowds. There is instead only to be efficiency.
This is, of course, not yet a reality. The initial costs and confusions have deemed it impractical… for now. It is growing in merit, however – with many believing it to be the answer to all political concerns. They cite faster results, fewer pauses (caused often by mismanagement of locations and polling booths) and instant access. Entering an online forum is far easier, it’s claimed, than the hassles of seeking land-based ones. There is time to save and value here to earn.
And because of this Internet Democracy is leading many toward the notion of casting votes online. It seems an idea for the future – but the future seems closer than ever before.
