I'm thinking retinal scans

ok, this is what we came up with in my Public Policy class yesterday:  An ATM style voting machine, that runs on a Linux platform and also issues a paper receipt, just like you get from an ATM.  That way there is a paper trail if (when) problems arise.
But don't hold your breath.........

I have thoughts but no really good ideas. I can't help but think that a couple of years ago when I went to renew my drivers license an unpaid fine from another state I lived in 15 years ago came up. I think with the homeland security thing the information on a person is linked state to state. It seems that voter registration could have a similar link so that a person could only vote once in a particular election.

here's my question about multiple voter registration though. If I own property in multiple locations should I be able to participate in the local elections where my propety is located since I am being affected by the laws, taxes and operations of the jurisdiction. Or should I only be allowed to vote in the district were I maintain residence. I ask this only about local elections I agree that because someone owns property in multiple locations doesn't mean they have opprortunity to cast mulitple ballots on the same issue or canidate.  (This is hypothetical, I currently only own one property)

Heres what voting in the future will be like- if you pass a dna sample & an exhaustive background check to make sure you're eligable, you get mailed a key. Then, when you get to the poll it will be a big console with lots of blinking lights and buttons. After you make your choices you call the election worker over and you both insert your keys. They count down from 5 and you make sure to turn them at the exact same time, "launching" your vote.

By the way - after having lived in a town where 87% of the houses were second homes I can tell you it would not go over well at all to have these people who use their house for 3 weeks a year and have no investment or interest in the community the same say as people who live there year round, have kids in the schools, depend on the local economy, etc. I'm open to being proved wrng on this but I vaguely remember something like this being proposed in Telluride or aspen a while ago & it being promptly shot down.

Great idea!! Cost effective, easy to use, sensible, universal.....too bad these are the things that will keep it from being implemented!