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SALT LAKE CITY — As time marches forward, our lives have become more and more dominated by technology.
Whether you're at home, work or somewhere in between, chances are a desktop computer or mobile device is nearby. You can do anything online from paying bills to tracking down a long-lost school chum — the possibilities are endless. However, in spite of various technological advances over the years, online voting still isn't commonplace.
Concerns about keeping the process secure have hampered the idea from moving forward, but advancements in voting continue to happen in other ways. Currently, 31 states and the District of Columbia give residents the opportunity to register to vote online. Utah is one of those states, having implemented online voter registration in 2010. In addition, three other states have recently passed legislation to include online voter registration as an option.
Political parties are now experimenting with online voting. The beehive state's presidential primary caucus is being held Tuesday and the Utah Republican Party is offering its members the option of voting online for their candidate.
Utah's other political parties will also be weighing in on presidential candidates at their caucus meetings, albeit without online voting. While the state usually holds a traditional presidential primary, the legislature voted down a bill that would have provided funding for one. Sponsored by former Rep. Jon Cox, HB329 allowed for online voting on a limited basis.
Speaking at the South by Southwest Interactive Festival in Austin, Texas, on March 11, President Barack Obama called on the tech community to create a safe online platform to make online voting a reality and increase voter turnout.
"It is much easier to order pizza or a trip than it is for you to exercise the single most important task in a democracy, and that is for you to select who's going to represent you in government," he said.
It seems inevitable that online voting will eventually become widespread in society. However, how and when that is going to happen is anyone's guess.
- - - - - -Ryan Curtis is a proud seventh-generation Utahn and also writes for Utah Political Capitol. In his spare time, he enjoys doing family history research and listening to '70s and '80s music. You can contact him at ryancurtis4218@gmail.com.
