Madam, - Paul Flanagan (August 2nd) has raised an important issue about electronic voting. The results of an election will be in the hands of a small number of unaccountable people who will have access to the computer programme which runs the system designed to analyse the votes. No independent person, politician, judiciary or layman, will have access to the primary evidence.
Given what is at stake and the lengths which some of our politicians have gone to attain and misuse power, the present proposal to change to a totally electronic system is irresponsible.
I have to say I am no expert. I do, however, think that a much more transparent and accountable system would maintain the use of the blunt pencil and the piece of paper for voting. The voting papers could then be scanned electronically into a computer and the count thus speeded up - which is, I assume, the object of the exercise.
As Mr Flanagan has pointed out the paper trail is still available in the event of a dispute. Disputes have been known to happen and access to the primary evidence is important. In addition, electronic voting is vulnerable to power cuts. It is also vulnerable to hackers, whether politically motivated or not. I suggest that those responsible rethink their strategy before irreparable damage is done to our electoral system. - Yours, etc.,
A. LEAVY, Shielmartin Drive, Sutton, Dublin 13.