Email-Based Voting

Email-based voting is a method of electronic voting where eligible voters receive a ballot through email, select their selections and send it back either by replying to the email or uploading it to a secure platform.

How E-mail based voting works:

1. The election organizer first sends an official ballot to each voter’s email id.
2. Voters fill out the ballot digitally, mainly as a PDF or through a web form.
3. The completed ballot is sent back by email.
4. The election management team verifies the voter’s identity using methods like voter ID numbers, digital signatures or email authentication.
5. Votes are generally counted manually.

Concern with Email-based Voting

Since your email is linked to your identity, it’s harder to ensure secret voting. For example, In a workplace election, if HR receives the votes by email, they may know exactly who voted for whom. This could make employees uncomfortable or discourage honest voting. Here, we lost the secrecy of voting.

Manually counting emailed votes in various formats can lead to mistakes. If some people return ballots as PDFs and others as scanned images, a volunteer might misread a blurry attachment or skip one by accident, leading to incorrect totals.

Email-based voting is a good choice, especially when voters are geographically dispersed. However, it requires strong security protocols, clear instructions and robust verification to minimise risks and maintain the trust and transparency in the whole process.

Mobile-Based Voting

Mobile-based voting is a method of electronic voting where voters cast their votes using a mobile phone by either sending an SMS with their choice, dialling a designated phone number and selecting options through an automated voice response system.

How it works:

1.Voters receive a unique code or ballot instructions on their mobile and they reply with their vote by sending a specific keyword or candidate code via SMS.

Example:

You receive a message:

“Reply with 1 for Candidate A, 2 for Candidate B“

You send back: 1

Your vote is registered for Candidate A.

2.Voters dial an official number for voting. Then an automated voice guides them through the voting process. After that, voters press numbers on their keypad to choose their preferred option.

Example:

“Press 1 for Candidate A, Press 2 for Candidate B.”

You press 2.

Your vote is recorded for Candidate B.

Privacy Concerns with Mobile Numbers

One key concern is that mobile numbers are tied to a lot of sensitive personal information. Studies show they’re often linked with bank accounts, education records, addresses and even financial histories. This connection makes many users hesitant to share their numbers, fearing that if it falls into the wrong hands, a lot more than just a phone number could be compromised.

With the rise in SMS scams and phishing attempts, SMS based voting can create a fear in the general public. In SMS, the limited character count in texts also makes it harder to share full instructions or voting guidelines clearly. This lack of clarity can lead to confusion or, worse, errors during the voting process.

As our lives become increasingly digital, it’s more important than ever to adopt systems that people trust and feel safe using. While mobile phones are part of our everyday routines, relying on mobile numbers for voting might not be the wisest move. Both email-based voting and SMS based mobile voting have limitations. Neither method can ensure a secret ballot, and both can lead to multiple voting and counting errors. Both these methods are susceptible to phishing and other online scams.

Advantages of Email-Based Voting over Mobile-Based Voting

Between the two, email-based voting is a better option. Email offers a more flexible and secure experience. Many individuals maintain separate email accounts for different aspects of life, such as work, shopping, and finances, which adds a layer of privacy. Sharing an email address for voting doesn’t necessarily expose all of a person’s data, making it feel like a safer option overall.

Also, emails allow for detailed information. Full voting instructions, helpful visuals and clear steps can all be included in one place. People are more accustomed to reading longer content via email, whether on their mobiles or computers, which makes understanding and following the process much easier.

Right2Vote’s online voting system is far superior to Email-Based and Mobile-Based Voting Systems

Right2Vote delivers a streamlined, secure online voting solution built around an OTP-based system that’s both simple and user-friendly. The process kicks off when the Election Officer sets up and launches the poll on the Right2Vote platform. Once it goes live, all eligible voters tied to that particular election are instantly notified via email.

This notification includes a personalised voting link along with key election details like:

1. The Election Name.
2. The organizer info (like who invited you to the Election)
3. Voting instructions with Voting link (like how to cast your vote)
4. The window for casting the vote. (Start Date & Time and End Date & Time)

By clicking the link, voters are taken straight to the login page, where their email ID is conveniently pre-filled. For secure access, a One-Time Password (OTP) is sent to their registered email. Entering this OTP  authenticates the voter and gives them entry to their voting dashboard.

From there, voters can see their active elections and make their selection with just a click, choose the option, hit “Done,” and it’s recorded right away. The entire process is built to be smooth, secure and tamper-proof, making it a great fit for communities, corporate bodies and institutional voting events.

Similarly, for Right2Vote’s SMS based voting instead of email, all eligible voters who are registered to that particular election are instantly notified via SMS with information like

1. The Election Name.
2. The organizer info (like who invited you in the Election)
3. Voting link 

Voters click the link to access a pre-filled mobile login page, receive an OTP on their registered mobile number. OTP authenticates the voter and redirects them to the voting dashboard. They view active elections, select their choice and submit with a click on the “Done” button. Instantly, the vote gets recorded. 

As soon as the election ends or voting is completed, the system automatically counts all the votes and generates the final results instantly without the need for any manual tallying or human intervention. This ensures faster outcomes, eliminates counting errors and improves transparency and trust in the election process.

How Right2Vote Resolves Concerns in Email and Mobile-Based Voting

Right2Vote addresses the challenges associated with email and mobile-based voting through a suite of robust features designed to enhance security, privacy, and transparency:​

Secret Ballot Feature
To uphold voter anonymity, Right2Vote implements a secret ballot system where individual voter’s vote details are not available to anybody, including the election managers and the IT team managing the platform (No one knows who voted for whom. The voting process is completely confidential to ensure voter privacy and security). This ensures that voters can cast their votes without fear of exposure, maintaining the integrity of the election process. 
 
Automated Vote Recording and Audit Trail
The platform automatically records each vote and maintains a comprehensive audit trail. This feature allows for transparent tracking of the voting process, enabling verification of the vote flow from casting to counting, thereby eliminating human errors and enhancing trust in the results.
 
Instant Results Without Human Intervention
Upon the conclusion of voting, Right2Vote’s system instantly tabulates and publishes the results without any manual involvement. This automation eliminates the risk of errors and accelerates the announcement of outcomes, contributing to a more efficient electoral process.
 
Strict Data Privacy and Automatic Deletion Policy
The Right2Vote platform has end-to-end encryption. Right2Vote is committed to protecting user data. The platform ensures that personal information is not shared with third parties and is automatically deleted when an election is removed by the organizer or archived after a certain time, aligning with best practices in data privacy.
 
OTP-Based Verification for Secure Access
To guarantee that only authorized voters participate, Right2Vote employs OTP-based authentication sent to registered email addresses. This method ensures secure access to the voting platform and prevents unauthorized voting attempts.
 
Government of India Certification
Right2Vote’s platform is tested and certified by the Standardization Testing and Quality Certification (STQC) Directorate under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India. This certification attests to the platform’s adherence to stringent security and quality standards.

Conclusion

Both email-based and mobile-based voting offer easy and modern ways to participate in elections without being physically present. While mobile voting through SMS or calls is simple and works well for basic elections like surveys or public opinion polls, email-based voting stands out for its better clarity and flexibility. It’s easier to share full instructions, and voters feel more secure using their email than their phone number.

However, Right2Vote’s online voting technology, using email or sms based authentication, is far superior to SMS or email-based voting. Right2Vote not only ensures privacy of votes through its secret ballot feature but also provides Audit Trail and other features to ensure fair and transparent elections.

The goal is to make voting simple, secure, and trustworthy. Right2Vote does just that by offering smooth, OTP-based access and instant results. Whether you’re voting in a housing society, institution, clubs, corporations, professional associations or organization, this modern method guarantees participation with peace of mind. This digital voting platform is shaping the future of elections, making participation easier for everyone.

To know more about Right2Vote’s election technology, please refer:

• Government of India certificates
• Features for eVoting
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