Dartmouth students can now register for absentee voter ballots over the World Wide Web through a national program developed to increase voter turnout.
Called Xballot, the program is the first of its kind and has already processed thousands of ballot applications since it was implemented the week before last, according to the program.
This new website focuses specifically on college students, as many of them spend the school year residing outside of their hometowns, said Stephanie Thomas, the project coordinator for Xballot.
College students across the U.S. have already used the program to sign up for absentee ballots, including some at Dartmouth, according to Thomas.
Linda Fowler, director of the Rockefeller Center said she does not think the Xballot program will significantly improve voter turnout.
"The real problem in increasing voting turnout is with registration," Fowler said. "I feel [Xballot] will have a marginal input on voter turnout."
She said she also thinks the Xballot system may lead to increased security problems in the voting system.
"The question is whether this is susceptible to abuse," Fowler said. "This could be used to stimulate people who normally wouldn't vote to participate for fraudulent reasons."
Government Professor Gordon Silverstein shares similar concerns.
Silverstein said security over the Internet would pose a major problem to Xballot, because the Internet does not have a tight security system.
"In principle, it is an idea worth exploring, but the security issue is a serious one and until we figure out how to make things like credit cards secure, we just can't take the chance," Silverstein said.
Students have mixed opinions on the new program.
Some feel that the ease of applying for a ballot over the Internet may outweigh the possible negative factors.
"It does sound easier. It might be worth it [security risk] just because it's so much easier," Mike Evans '00 said.
Steven Lee '97 said he thinks the XBallot system is more convenient than the traditional mailed application system.
"I applied by mail after calling my local office and they sent me an application which I had to send back," Lee said. "I think it [Xballot] is a lot more convenient and a lot faster."
Jake Shields '99 said he does not think the Xballot program will have a big impact on the outcome of the election, because absentee ballots are not always incorporated in the election results.
"My only problem with absentee voting is that your vote doesn't get counted unless the amount of absentee ballots sent in is at least equal to the difference between the votes for the top two candidates," Jake Shields '99 said.
But Kerri Apblett '97 said "I think if people were made aware of [Xballot], it would be great. Especially for college students who usually aren't in their hometown to vote and register."
Students at other colleges have shown even more support for the Xballot program.
Meredith Spungin, a student at the College of Wooster in Wooster, Ohio, found the Xballot website through a link with The Democratic National Committee website, and then used it to run a voter-registration drive on the college campus, according to a press release.
In an e-mail message to The Dartmouth Spungin wrote, "If one student group on every campus did this in every college, millions of students would vote."
"This result would not only shape and change elections in the future, it would also help dispel the myth that our age group is apathetic and uncaring about the future of our country," she wrote.
Another student at Wooster wrote, in an e-mail message, "I do think that this project was one of the best things I have done for the Wooster campus since I have been here."
The Xballot website is non-partisan and linked to both the Democratic and Republican websites, Thomas said.
Other hyperlinked organizations include Rock The Vote (http://www.rockthevote.org) and the League of Women Voters.
Beth Odence, president of the League's Upper Valley chapter, said Jessica Gilbert at the National League of Women Voters told her there are three ways beside Xballot to register for an absentee voter ballot through the internet.
One location is the website of the Federal Election Commission at http://www.fec.gov, Odence said.
The second website Gilbert provided was http://www.rockthevote. org, which is hyperlinked to the Xballot website, Odence said, and the third location is at http://www.sevenup. com.
Instructions for using Xballot
Once the Xballot website is located, requesting an absentee ballot is simple. According to the homepage, the creators of Xballot have researched the absentee ballot requirements of each state and have attempted to meet them.
By choosing the state in which you are registered from the list of 50 states and one district, you will be connected to a page that gives step by step instructions on how to request an absentee ballot.
Students can access the website at http://www.xballot.org.
