Voatz recently submitted a white paper shared by the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS), entitled “Standardization of Remote Ballot Marking & Return Through a Rigorous National Study & Examination”.

The paper calls for a comprehensive study focused on defining the security and functional requirements for apps designed to receive the appropriate blank ballot, enable marking of the ballot, and assure the return of a ballot using a commercial off-the-shelf computer. This study should consider if these apps can take full advantage of the security features of the platform, while being able to verify the voter, secure their markings of the ballot, encrypt & guarantee the return of the marked ballot all while assuring the anonymity of the voter.

We recommend including experts from a cross-section of organizations, federal agencies, representatives from disenfranchised communities, and technologists to determine a process to establish, test, and deploy systems that will support our democracy. The most inclusive effort will allow significant participation from the private sector and outreach to voters.

The paper contends that a well-executed and transparent study of remote ballot marking will provide comfort and confidence to citizens and other stakeholders that the systems that states are choosing to deploy meet rigorous federal government guidelines and widely accepted standards.

A link to the paper can be found on the NASS website here.