Technology and The 2020 Election
For some of us, we’ve been waiting for the 2020 Presidential Election, happening Tuesday, November 3, since 2016. Others have reveled in how our government has been operating over the past four years. Regardless of political stance, one thing is certain – this year’s election is not only critical, but vastly different from years past.
Sure, every election, especially presidential ones, are a pivotal moment for America. And in the past we’ve dealt with international interferences, recount controversies, corrupt officials, and the constant bombardment of political campaigns. But 2020 has brought a whole new beast to the game. The pandemic not only disrupted our population’s economy, physical health, and mental stability, but it also accelerated a shift that was already happening: It made technology an even bigger factor in the future of our democracy.
Most notably, of the many unforeseen challenges COVID-19 has caused, in-person activities (going into the office, dining out, grocery shopping) remains a top contender. And in terms of the election, this limitation on mass gatherings has created many obstacles for both campaigning and voting.
As politicians and our government seemingly do every election, they’ve promised better preparation tactics for the future, yet never seem to fully deliver. Tech companies are still failing to keep up with an ever-evolving environment, and with the shift to a more digital campaign presence, election misinformation continues to spread. Not to mention, wars are practically being waged and extreme bias is impacting those easily subjected via a variety of social media platforms.
Nevertheless, technology and data will still remain the underlying premise of any election. In terms of campaigning, MIT Technology Review shares some great insight behind tech that fuels political campaigns, including traditional polling giving way to AI-powered predictive modeling, massive data exchanges, microtargeting, and more.
As for actual voting, it seems we’re always fighting an uphill battle in regards to security, secrecy, and verifiability. However, some election experts believe that when it comes to the security of election machines, voters should feel more confident than ever in 2020. The reason behind it? More voters going old school this year – AKA, paper. Due in large part to the pandemic, “an estimated 95 percent of voters will use either a mail-in paper ballot or a machine that produces a verifiable and auditable paper trail.”
But what about the future of technology when it comes to elections, and more specifically, electronic voting? According to the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine, there is no technology available right now that will combat all the issues aforementioned, however, there are tech voting systems in the works, such as online voting, blockchain-based voting, end-to-end verifiable election software, and more.
So while there are still many unknowns about elections, campaigns, technology, and the future of it all, one thing still remains – it’s extremely vital that everyone votes. Please do your part this Tuesday, November 3 – every vote counts, and every vote matters.
For Georgia voting resources, information, and help, please visit My Voter Page.
Have you voted yet or plan on doing so on November 3? Let us know in the comments below!