Security experts concerned about voting by e-mail

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Internet security experts are raising concerns about a plan by Missouri's secretary of state to allow members of the military stationed overseas to return their ballots by e-mail.

But state and federal officials say safeguards are in place to protect the ballots from tampering, duplication or other forms of fraud.

Missouri Secretary of State Matt Blunt announced last week that military members serving in combat areas overseas can complete their absentee ballots, then scan and e-mail them to the Department of Defense, which will forward the ballots via fax to the appropriate local election officials.

Blunt, the Republican nominee for governor, said he asked the Department of Defense about the option after some soldiers stationed in Iraq reported trouble getting their absentee ballots on time during the state's Aug. 3 primary election.

Bruce Schneier, co-founder of Mountain View, Calif.-based Counterpane Internet Security Inc., said that increasing voter turnout is good, but transmitting ballots by e-mail raises security and privacy worries.

"E-mail is subject to all kinds of tampering," he said. "Even the appearance of problems is bad. This is going to be a close election. If the election hinges on these ballots, there will be people that will never be satisfied this was fair."

And, he noted, ballots are not secret when they are sent by e-mail.

Sen. Kit Bond, R-Mo., supports the proposal and said it raises minimal confidentiality concerns. He is concerned the Pentagon has not made enough progress in fixing mail delays and other difficulties surrounding military ballots.

"It's not much worse than a normal absentee ballot situation," he said. "They would have to give up some privacy, but to gain the opportunity to vote, I would think, would be an appealing alternative."

Secretary of state spokesman Spence Jackson said military personnel are told upfront that their ballots won't be secret, and if they're uncomfortable with that, then mailing it in is the best course. He also said the ballots will be e-mailed by secure phone lines to the Department of Defense -- lines used regularly for communication between officials in Washington and military units stationed overseas.

Another safeguard, said department spokeswoman Lt. Col. Ellen Krenke, is that local election officials compare the signatures on ballots they receive with those they have on file.

Ballots also contain a tracking number, so if the ballot sent to a particular soldier is not the one returned by that soldier, or several are returned with that same number, election officials will know, Jackson said.

Schneier said the larger concern is that department officials won't forward all ballots to the local election officials.

"This is much more the human risk," he said.

Jackson, however, said that concern is unfounded.

"I just don't think there'll be a problem with anyone not transmitting a ballot or attempting to manipulate a ballot in any way," he said.

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On the Net:

Missouri Secretary of State: http://www.sos.mo.gov

Federal Voting Assistance Program: http://www.fvap.gov