[kictanet] BVR, EVID & Transmission of Electoral Results

[Tony White]

Well put, John.  Calm, rational, and well thought out.

Why can't our politicians behave likewise?

Cheers,
Tony


On 30/12/2016, John Kieti via kictanet <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:
> Dear Listers,
>
> In my understanding, the use of electronic means to identify voters and to
> transmit results is more about the integrity of the election than
> efficiency of the process.
>
> Therefore, when we say we need a fall back system, we should look at a
> solution that not only safeguards fulfilment of the bill of rights as
> regards the right to vote. The solution should also have in itself a
> fallback mechanism that safeguards the integrity of the electoral process
> as envisaged by the notion of "electronic means".
>
> Simply reverting to "manual" appears a little too simplistic. This is
> because the spirit behind the law's insistence on "electronic" is that of
> safeguarding the voter identification process by way of biometric
> technology for instance. As technologists we will easily have consensus
> that biometric person identification is much more fool proof as regards
> positive identification than its manual alternatives (therefore not letting
> in the so called ghosts.
>
> Likewise, the spirit behind electronic transmission of presidential vote
> tallies from the polling station is to safeguard the integrity of the
> tallying and aggregation process. This ostensibly reduces chances of crooks
> tampering with signed tally forms (form 34s and form 36s) later on, after
> the tallies have been announced at the polling stations.
>
> Therefore as we consider the matter of "what if the system fails?", it may
> be that to maintain the spirit and intention of safeguarding the integrity
> of the vote, a fall back process needs to ensure that the integrity of the
> vote is not compromised.
>
> For instance, why would we insist on a manual back up when both the primary
> system and the redundant system could be electronic. As it may have been
> said, in the case of presidential tally transmission, GSM technology could
> constitute the  primary system. Then in areas where GSM connectivity is
> absent or doubtful, a small deployment of vsat or satellite phones could
> provide redundancy. It could even be a temporary Wimax arrangement in
> specific geographical locations. It could also be that a extra government
> supported investment in GSM for areas of doubt between now and June 2017 is
> possible. Of course commercial viability is an issue but the bill of rights
> argument also appears to invoke the essence of the Universal Access Fund.
> As one may argue, the general election is one of the crucial activities
> where every citizen can exercises article 1 and article two of the
> constitution, and it happens once every five years. Arguably there might be
> no better use of the Universal Access Fund than for facilitating the
> exercise of article 1 and article 2 of the constitution.
>
> As regards voter identification (for EVIDs), there is people with very
> sweaty fingers. Others may have had accidents in the period preceding the
> election, causing amputation of the fingers linking them to the biometric
> register. Therefore such identification failure is plausible.
>
> Notwithstanding the possibility of EVID failure, if incidences of such
> failure exceed 5% or say a certain threshold in a polling station, then
> something would be amiss and should raise a red flag. It could either be a
> cultural / environmental challenge in the geography of that polling
> station, or it could be a case of power issues with the gadgets, or as some
> would say, it might be "artificial" failure to facilitate "ghost" voters.
>
> Regardless of the cause of EVID failure, and in the spirit of safeguarding
> the integrity of the election, it will help that every EVID failure
> instance triggers a sequence of well documented steps that can guarantee
> verifiability of a positive "manual" identification of the voter.
>
> The easy one of EVID failures to solve is the instance of power (battery)
> failure. It should not be impossible to eliminate this through better
> training of IEBC staff and pre-charging devices. More so, increased rural
> electrification in the last 4 years might contribute more to alleviation of
> this challenge.
>
> In conclusion, it seems important for those dealing with the Election Law
> Amendment to separate the two issues (1) The bill of rights and the right
> of every Kenyan (who has registered as a voter) to vote.
> (2) Safeguarding the integrity of the vote through ensuring we have up non
> corruptible, verifiable and auditable electoral systems. More specifically,
> voter identification and presidential tally transmission appear to be areas
> of enhancement.
>
> That's my 2016 five cent opinion on this electoral law matter.
>
> Happy 2017 everyone!..
>
> On Dec 30, 2016 11:59, "Mutemi wa Kiama via kictanet" <
> kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:
>
> Hi Listers,
>
> In the debates I have seen raging online and elsewhere about need for a
> non-IT based backup system, the ICT Ministry and Communications Authority
> are quoted talking about the 3G coverage in the country or lack thereof. No
> one is talking about 2G and Satellite phone coverage. Isn't most of the
> country covered by 2G? Does it mean we suddenly can't transmit data over 2G
> which we used to before 3G? Interesting that the same Safaricom whose Mpesa
> can't be hacked by Al Shabaab can have electoral results transmission
> hacked (According to CS Joe Mucheru)! Are we suddenly analogue because
> elections are approaching?
>
> Could experts here appear before the senate committee on Elections Act next
> week and save this country from an impending calamity driven by ignorance
> around ICT?
>
> a bewildered Edwin Kiama!
>
> Thoughts become things... choose the good ones!
>
>
>
>
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-- 
Tony White