Online voter registration is a concept that has only recently been made available to U.S. citizens. At the moment, most states don’t have a system set up for it. However, that could change in the near future, if current trends are any indication. Unfortunately, there are a few issues that currently keep it from being used nationwide.For starters, when President Obama was first elected in 2008, only two states — Washington and Arizona — had online voter registration systems. In 2012, when he was reelected, 13 states had these systems. Now, a total of 23 states have or are about to have what is called “voter registration modernization.” Many believe that most states will enact online voter registration — sooner rather than later — now that word of the many advantages is spreading.
The evidence about this is just so clear,” said David Becker, director of election projects for Pew Charitable Trusts. “If you can create a tool that harnesses electronics to allow voters greater convenience and creates greater security for an election and saves the voters thousands of dollars in the process, why wouldn’t you?”
… Naturally, there are a few drawbacks to registering to vote online. One of the largest is availability. Many voters simply do not have reliable Internet access in their homes, especially voters from lower income or education brackets. For example, just 39 percent of those with no high school degree report having Internet access at home.
Another issue on the minds of many naysayers is security. Naturally, when dealing with anything over the internet, security breaches are bound to occur.
In Maryland, lawmakers and researchers wrote a letter to politicians stating that anyone with access to a Maryland voter’s full name and birth date could effectively steal their identity. They could then vote on their behalf, change their address, and even alter their stated political orientation.
Full Article: Online Voter Registration Gains Traction Nationwide – IVN.