The voting systems in the United States and the United Kingdom are dramatically different. The US electorate has been using electronic voting machines since the 1990s. In the UK, voters use a pencil to mark a slip of paper next to whichever candidate or position on an issue they favour, and then place it manually into a box. While many people would consider this to be an outdated system, the American system is not without challenges. Americans can't be blamed if they consider their system overly complicated and expensive. Many of the voting machines use software that was developed twenty years ago, making them an easy target for hackers. The hardware has its own share of problems. In many states, the machines used are no longer in production, so it is difficult to find new parts for repairs.

The government is aware of the problem and has ordered many states to replace their current machines. However, twenty-two of the thirty-two states which need to purchase new equipment have said they do not have enough funding to undertake this task. In retrospect, though the British method is old-fashioned, it is definitely easier to replace a pencil than a computerized system.

Voters should be able to vote in-person at a time and location that is convenient and accessible for everyone in a community, and in-person voting access should be equitably distributed across our communities. Voters in the community should have a voice in shaping decisions about polling locations and access.