Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2022 January 18

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January 18

Curiosities about electronic voting

Hi. We are talking about the senatorial election in the state of Virginia in 2006. The challenge was between Jim Webb and outgoing Senator George Allen. The latter refused to acknowledge defeat asserting that "the counting was not yet complete and there were still votes to be counted by email." That very last point has always intrigued me; now I guess those systems no longer exist, but here's my question: how were email votes counted? You're talking about electronic voting; I'm not sure, maybe people could vote on a special box on their PC, but that's conjecture. Again; how were these votes being counted? Thank you very much. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 93.41.96.230 (talk) 13:43, 18 January 2022 (UTC)

Can you give us the source of your quote so we can read the original in context? It would help us provide a more detailed answer to your question. Thanks! --Jayron32 15:52, 18 January 2022 (UTC)

It is an Italian newspaper: "La Repubblica". Here is the link: https://www.repubblica.it/2006/11/dirette/sezioni/esteri/elezionimideterm/elezionimideterm/index.html If you go to 8:40 there is the paragraph that talks about Virginia's election. It can definitely be translated. Here is the text: 08:40 Virginia risks becoming new Florida Virginia is in danger of becoming the Florida of 2006. "The votes are there, and we've won," declared Democrat Jim Webb, proclaiming himself the winner over incumbent Senator George Allen on the basis of a 3,000 vote advantage with 99 percent of the polls counted. But the Republican did not want to acknowledge the defeat, pointing out that "the counting will go on all night, it seems that in every moment a new e-mail arrives with other votes to be counted". Pardon the English, of course the page is in Italian. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 93.41.96.230 (talk) 16:18, 18 January 2022 (UTC)

My guess is that the votes were not by email, but rather the emails were the submissions by the various precincts submitting their results electronically to the state. I know of no state that was doing "vote by email" in 2006, but it is entirely likely that vote tallies by individual precincts were reported to the state through some electronic means. --Jayron32 16:32, 18 January 2022 (UTC)

Thanks Jayron, take care. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 93.41.96.230 (talk) 16:38, 18 January 2022 (UTC)