Government watchdog says Internet too insecure for online voting for military personnel

The proposal to allow overseas military personnel the chance to cast their ballots through the Internet has attracted bi-partisan support in Frankfort but has drawn opposition from a government watchdog who says it could compromise the election’s security.

Richard Beliles, chairman of Common Cause of Kentucky, sent a letter to Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes and legislative leaders this week urging them to reconsider the proposal to allow Kentucky voters stationed abroad for military service to cast their ballots via email instead of snail mail.

Beliles pointed to research conducted in 2004 saying voting via the Internet is too insecure.

Lynn Zellen, the secretary of state’s communications director, told Pure Politics that a bill has not yet been fully drafted, making it difficult to comment directly on security provisions. Zellen did say that the secretary of state’s office is “confident any law would ensure the security and integrity of the voting process.”

Zellen said that 24 states currently allow ballots to be filed over the Internet, and they were unaware of any problems in those states.

Grimes, who called for the bill after a trip overseas visiting troops, will present a featured keynote address this week regarding military voting at the Overseas Vote Foundation and United States Vote Foundation’s 7th Annual Summit at George Washington University in Washington, D.C.