[Air-l] invitation the the KSG/NSF Voting Symposium

[L Jean Camp]

Can every vote be counted? How does technology influence uncertainty in 
voting and in vote compilation? What technical and operational policies 
enable the responsible evolution of voting in the information age?

In order to answer these questions, you are cordially invited to 
participate in the upcoming NSF/Harvard Symposium On Voting and Vote 
Counting. The invitation-only June 1 symposium  will address these 
questions  in terms of institutions, governance, and technology.

The NSF/Harvard Symposium On Voting and Vote Counting will serve 
multiple, interrelated purposes.  First, that of providing an 
information exchange among key leaders in the election administration 
and research communities. Second, setting out (for contemplation and 
discussion) the major issues involving vote collection and tabulation.  
Third, eliciting insights that can be disseminated to others and used 
to understand and improve election systems, both in the U.S. and 
internationally.

America’s lengthy vote-counting controversy demonstrated that voters 
want to know that their ballots will be cast and counted as they 
intended, and that there must be an indisputable way to perform a 
recount from these ballots. Technology, rather than providing a simple 
panacea for these problems, has introduced a host of new election woes. 
Technology alone cannot address the problems, as voting technology is 
embedded in a larger organizational context.

The NSF/Harvard Symposium On Voting and Vote Counting will form the 
basis of a workshop report to be provided to all participants, a set of 
guideline for the government officials and volunteers who support the 
act of voting, and a report of open research questions for the academic 
community.  We welcome your participation in this seminal event.

To attend, simple reply to this email.  You will receive an agenda and 
a registration form, as well as information on local lodging and 
transportation.  In the next weeks we will send printed information in 
addition to this electronic invitation.

Sincerely,

L. Jean Camp, Ph.D. & Rebecca Mercuri, Ph.D.
Kennedy School of Government
79 John F. Kennedy Street
Cambridge, MA
(v) 617-496-6331  (f)6-5960
{Jean_Camp, Rebecca_Mercuri} @ksg.harvard.edu