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Paper ballots are pretty trivial to cheat too, you’re dependent on the honesty of party officials and poll watchers.

That’s why anyone should be permitted to watch the process from start to finish. Heck, videotape the collection box from the moment it is shown to be empty and sealed till the ballots are retrieve. Videotape the counting process. Do all this in the public square, televised and streamed.

This happens in Ireland. results are all hand counted with representatives from all parties and public access to watch the counting.

After a vote we get to watch the news go from counting station to station to announce the results.

There are usually a few recounts etc but it rarely takes longer than a day or two and tbh which is more important done right or fast?

It’s also easy to design paper ballots that are really hard to use.

Absolutely.

If you live in a place like I do, we’re a one party place where primary elections are the real elections, and you don’t have the competitive pressures that are inherent to a multi-party contest.

We also had a huge upsurge in “write in” votes, as the paper forms are difficult to interpret.

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