Should the traditional voting system be replaced or not

The reading and the lecture are both about whether or not the traditional voting system should be substituted by a computerized one. The author of the reading feels that technology would make this process more efficient. The lecturer challenges the claims made by the author. He is of the opinion that it would only worsen it. To begin with, the author argues that people often mark wrong names by accident. The article mentions that computers would enable voters not only to vote by simply touching the candidate’s name on the screen but also to adjust the size of the text to their needs. This specific argument is challenged by the lecturer. He claims that many people who are not familiar with the use of computers would make even more mistakes or they would be discouraged from voting altogether out of fear of having to use a computer. Secondly, the writer suggests that since the counting is performed by humans the number of potential mistakes rises. In the article it is said that errors could be avoided if the counting was done by an automated software. The lecturer, however, rebuts this by mentioning that as computers are programmed by humans, mistakes can only become graver. He elaborates on this by bringing up the point that in case of a suspected error, no recount can take place as in most cases there is no physical record kept. Finally, the author posits that both officials and individuals rely on computers to perform banking and communication tasks, therefore it is wrong to consider technology used in voting unsafe. In contrast, the lecturer’s position is that unlike voting, banking and communication processes take place everyday. Moreover, he notes that these softwares underwent gradual improvements throughout the years to become as reliable as they are now, however in the case of voting there is not enough time for technology to gain the trust of the voters by reaching a stable status.