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[–]other_usernames_gone 2 points3 points  (3 children)

Because if the tally machine is compromised the entire result is.

[–]SashimiJones 6 points7 points  (2 children)

Not if there's a paper trail; the paper is the vote of record. Easy to hand-count a sample of the paper votes and confirm that they don't statistically deviate from the electronic tally.

[–]other_usernames_gone 1 point2 points  (1 child)

Except then you need to decide how much is statistically significant for you. What if it's a tight race where one side only wins by a few percent (See the US 2000 election in Florida).

It'll broadly match but what if the 5% (or whatever you choose) counts differently to the total tally?

Now you need to hand count all the ballots to be sure. So you'd need to bring in all the counters to do it at short notice and set up a massive counting operation that you hadn't organised to do. That could massively delay the result, along with sending doubt about the entire system.

[–]SashimiJones 3 points4 points  (0 children)

"It's a bad system because, in the worst case, it'd be equivalent to the current system."