With the recent conclusion of the Hong Kong Legislative Council elections, have you ever wondered why physical paper ballots are still used instead of E-voting? While E-voting offers potential advantages such as convenience and quicker counting, its inherent security risks and technical challenges remain difficult to overcome. Main Reasons Include:
⭐Providing Verifiable Audit Trails (Paper Receipts):
Physical paper ballots offer a tangible, immutable record of election results. If the electronic counting system fails, encounters errors, or faces scrutiny, paper ballots can be recounted at any time to verify the accuracy of the results.
⭐Preventing Cyber Attacks and Tampering:
Although strong encryption and security measures can be implemented, no system is completely foolproof. Without paper backups, if the system is compromised, it becomes challenging to detect any alterations to the votes.
⭐Avoiding Software Errors:
Creating software that is entirely bug-free is nearly impossible. Any bugs in election software could result in miscounted votes.
Regarding E-counting, optical mark recognition (OMR) is a mature technology with a very low error rate, and when combined with physical ballots for verification, it has been widely adopted. The E-counting system was introduced for the first time in this functional constituency ballots, allowing for a quicker counting process. Technology is not a panacea; it must be utilized in appropriate contexts to maximize its value and should not be followed blindly. It seems that the three members of the Ballot Box Family—Blue Ballot, Red Ballot, and Grandpa Ballot—have secure jobs for life.
Reference:
rthk.hk Chinese News Link
香港立法會選舉剛剛結束，各位有否曾思考為何在投票時仍使用實體紙張，而非電子投票？雖然電子投票具備便捷和快速點票的潛在優勢，但其固有的安全風險和技術挑戰目前仍難以克服。主要原因包括：
⭐提供可驗證的審計線索（紙張存根）：
實體紙張選票為選舉結果提供了有形、不可變的記錄。如果電子點票系統出現故障、錯誤或遭到質疑，可以隨時重新點算紙張選票，以核實結果的準確性。
⭐防止網絡攻擊和篡改：
雖然可以實施強大的加密和安全措施，但沒有任何系統是絕對安全的。在缺乏紙質備份的情況下，如果系統被入侵或攻擊，很難檢測選票是否已被改動。
⭐避免軟件錯誤：
編寫完全不含錯誤（”bug-free”）的複雜軟件幾乎是不可能的。選舉軟件中的任何程式錯誤都可能導致選票誤算。
至於電子點票，因為光學劃記符號辨識（OMR）是一種非常成熟的技術，錯誤率極低，加上有實體票佐證，才被廣泛採納。此次功能界別選舉首次引入電子點票系統，可以使點票過程更快完成。科技並非萬能，必須在適合的場景中使用才能發揮其價值，不能盲目追隨潮流。
看來，吉祥物票箱家族的三位成員—藍小寶、紅小寶和白爺爺的工作名副其實是“鐵飯碗”。
參考資料來源:
香港電台網站 中文新聞 Link