Should candidates running for President be able to vote via secure net phone?

[zulchzulu]

Many people forget that when you're running for President, and especially in this primary season when every race is so front-loaded, you will miss votes because you have to campaign all over the country.

Should there be an option for those running that are still in office to be able to cast votes via secure means, such as a net phone or online through a secure site?

[acmavm]

1. NO. Not if they're drawing a senator's salary. And expenses.

[jsamuel]

2. If I remember correctly, you would have to pass a Constitutional Amendment

to allow such things. It is expressly forbidden for a house or senate member to be able to vote while not present.

[rinsd]

7. I believe that is correct.

[zulchzulu]

16. Parlimentary quorum vs new online-style parlimentary quorum

There certainly is the technology to make a vote secure, especially if there is a redundant secure backup system. You'd vote via a secure net phone and additional vote via a secure web application...

Thomas Jefferson, being quite an innovative inventor, would probably seize on the idea if he had what we have today.

[rinsd]

21. That could present its own problems.

Why bother with physical voting when it could be done electronically?

No, I think this is just one of those solutions for a problem that is not really as big a deal as people are making it out to be. As I said elsewhere, if this vote had mattered Obama would have been there.

[MADem]

3. Here's how you do it--you stay in or near DC during the FEW days the damned

legislature is in session, and then you do your campaigning during the three or four days a week that no one is doing any work or casting any votes.

If you aren't there, you don't care...or, you're WANTING to avoid having to vote...

[tritsofme]

4. If you are not able to fufill your obligations to the people who elected you

maybe one should consider resigning.

[rox63]

5. How the hell would you verify that it's really them?

It's really easy to spoof an incoming number, so it's not really that secure.

[zulchzulu]

13. If you had encrypted telephony between two devices with other security...

...it certainly could be done. Perhaps even have a separate application to verify. So you'd have a net phone with encrypted messaging that talks only to another device (such as how secure Bluetooth works with an additional toggle) that counts the vote.

Then you'd have to go online and through a series of security checks, verify the vote which sends a verification via email for added security.

It would only be for those running for President, not everyone...

[Clintonista2]

6. If obama feels that campaigning is more important than his role in the senate...

Then he should relinquish his seat OR stop accepting taxpayer money.

[atreides1]

8. No

Their primary job is to represent their constituents, they have staff members who remain in D.C. so they are not totally out of the loop!

[Lucinda]

9. My first impulse is that it seem like a really good idea zulchzulu

I haven't thought it through, but I like the idea a lot

[Double T]

10. EVERY VOTE needs to be made and counted by our elected officials and Representatives.

Presence should NOT BE a requirement.

[Missy M]

14. Yes it should.....

the others not running for president would then want to vote by phone and no one would be in DC, they would be out on the golf course.

[zulchzulu]

15. With secure voting technology, the online quorum idea makes one "present"

It would help all candidates that were running... and since we have the technology, why not...

[Bitwit1234]

11. Hillary manages it. Why can't the rest.

[killbotfactory]

19. She misses votes, too

http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/members/c001041/votes/missed/

[Bitwit1234]

12. PS I have a suggestion

Did you'all see how the Texas legislature manages it...why don't the candidates who don't feel like showing up say...vote for me it you wanta.

[Justyce]

17. With all the electronic voting problems we're having, no.

Besides, if it was completely secure, then we could all vote ourselves on the issues & not need them to vote for us.

[zulchzulu]

20. It would be Open Source, not Diebold... that would be the first thing...

There are tons of great secure Open Source VoIP telephony technologies and applications that make for very reliable, very encrypted communications.

The steps could be:

- Vote via a net phone/appliance to a secure, encrypted device at the other end with added toggled security/login tasks.
- Cast the same vote on a net application via secure, encrypted site that acts as a redundant backup.
- Email verification that ensures the vote is from the user/voter.

Since it would (or should) be Open Source, development within a secure team could be shared and monitored easily and reliably.

[killbotfactory]

18. Yes, get the Senators back home

And as far away from the K-Street mafia as humanly possible.

[rox63]

22. Senators and Congresscritters do more than vote

They take part in committees and hearings. In fact, a lot of that is what takes up their days in Washington. Every time there is a Foreign Relations or Judiciary or Armed Services committee hearing, the members (Senators and Congresscritters) have to be there to participate, ask questions, etc. I don't want them trying to do that long-distance.