This voting system consists of two parts:
(actually there would hopefully be three parts, the first being a campaign to get people registered and educated about the candidates.)
1: Early Mail Notification
- Date, time & location for voting printed boldly on the outside
- More subdued text with directions to get more information or find other voting locations
- Mail-in ballot or a sample ballot inside, depending on state practices
- The reverse of each page will have brief information on the nature and scope of each office or proposition, and directions to further reading.
2: Voting Wagons - Trucks would probably follow postal routes
- Trucks could be modified for regular mail service or other state use when elections are not being held.
- Parties may lease trucks for internal use, but they would have to be vetted before an election.
- Each booth has headphones and a fold-down braille keyboard. There is also a padded fold down seat opposite the screen.
- Loudspeakers and screen play “Schoolhouse Rock” type educational segments
- Free Patriotic Ice Cream Bar after voting (maybe)
- Ballot begins with overview of choices available and decisions the voter made. Selecting a topic area brings up your options; for example a section titled “UNITED STATES PRESIDENCY” followed by brief instructions and selection boxes containing portraits, names, and parties. (I would have drawn that but couldn’t do a credible job.) Information about the office of president would follow. (note - I’m not sure the pictures are a good idea. They would make voting faster and clearer, but might not be suitable impartial.)
- After making and reviewing selections the ballot would be encrypted, send, and receipt acknowledged, and everything wiped before the voter left the booth. (again, I’m not sure about this decision. I’m putting tamper resistance ahead of anonymity, here.)
Other Considerations: I really think postage-paid mail-in ballots would result in a huge increase in participation, but I understand there are concerns about reliability, anonymity, and coercion. Record of having voted in person would therefore invalidate a mail-in vote by the same person. Mail in votes should be tallied after in-person voting, and invalidated votes discarded without being examined.
