Chapter 1

Introduction

The Online Voting System for Supreme Student Council also known as

e-voting is a term encompassing several different types of voting embracing

both electronic means of counting votes. Electronic voting technology can

include punched cards, optical scan voting systems and specialized voting

kiosk (including self-contained direct-recording electronic voting systems on

DRE). It can also involve transmissions of ballots and votes via telephones,

private computer networks or the internet. Online voting is an electronic way

of choosing leaders via a web driven applications. The advantage of online

voting over the common “queue method” is that the voters have the choice of

voting at their own free time and there is reduced congestions. It also

minimizes on errors of vote counting. The individual votes are submitted in

the database which can be queried to find out who of the aspirants for a given

post has the highest number of votes.

According to (a.) Chaum et al (1981) discussed about voting entails a

democratic apparatus used to enthrone democratic leaders and in some

quarters it is regarded as one of the most effective methods for individuals to

express their opinions on a given topic. (b.) Peter et al (2003) discusses a

secure PKI based system for e-voting that was developed. They tested the

application, several organizational aspects, and usability in fourteen field

trials. In their paper they describe the method and findings. What they learn

about turnout, about the logistics of organizing e-voting. And about usability

and reliability of the system in practice. (c.) Mercuri et al (2002) invented the
Mercuri method for electronic voting. A critical component of this method is

very similar to the Caltech/MIT proposal: a voting machine must produce

human readable hardcopy paper results, which can be verified by the voter

before the vote is cast, and manually recounted later if necessary.

Therefore, Isabela State University- San Mateo Campus still uses the

traditional manual voting process. In this regard, this system will minimize

the workload of both the voters and the electronic personnel in the voting

process when tallying the votes. Election’s length of time is aimed to be

reduced when using the OVS. Furthermore, real-time result of election can be

monitored at ease.

Due to the mobile phones and the various feature-oriented applications,

electronic voting offers some great advantages as everything is just a click

away, over the traditional manual voting. Thus, Online Voting System is

designed to improve voting procedures.

Statement of the Problem

1. What are the problems encountered in the existing system?

2. What to be developed to address the problem of the existing

system?

3. What is the extent of compliance of the developed application to

ISO 25010 in terms of :

 Functional Suitability

 Performance Efficiency

 Security
  Portability

 Compatibility

 Maintainability

 Reliability

4. What is the significant differences of the extent of compliance of

the developed application between the IT expert and users on ISO

25010 in terms of:

 Functional Suitability

 Performance Efficiency

 Security

 Portability

 Compatibility

 Maintainability

 Reliability

5. What are the strengths and limitations of the developed

application?

Objectives of the Study

1. To determine the problems encountered in the existing system.

2. To developed to address the problem encountered in the existing

system.

3. To determine the extent of compliance of the developed

application to ISO 25010 in terms of:

 Functional Suitability
  Performance Efficiency

 Security

 Portability

 Compatibility

 Maintainability

 Reliability

4. To determine the significant difference of the extent of compliance

of the developed application between the IT expert and users on

ISO 25010 in terms of:

 Functional Suitability

 Performance Efficiency

 Security

 Portability

 Compatibility

 Maintainability

 Reliability

5. To determine the strengths and limitations of the developed

application.

Significance of the Study

This study entitled “Online Voting System for Supreme Student Council” will

help improve the manual process of voting and tallying votes.

The results of the study will be beneficial to the following:

 Students. This study will give students the freedom to vote using their mobile

phones and it gives more time for the students to think who they are going to

vote.

Faculty. It helps the teacher in-charge in tallying the votes because in this

system you don’t need to count the votes manually the system will produce

an output of the total votes of every candidate automatically.

Future Researchers. This Study can help and direct other researchers for it

will serve as a useful reference for future studies.

Scope and Limitations

This study is limited to Isabela State University San Mateo Campus. It focuses

on voting online through your mobile phones or any gadgets that can access the

internet. The system is exclusive Isabela State University San Mateo Campus

students to avoid intruders who is not really studying at Isabela State University that

will result into bias. The system is protected by username and password. The

respondents will first register their student numbers together with their passwords

before he/she can access the system. The researcher designs the system to produce

an easy way of voting and to lessen the time of work in tallying the votes.

Operational Definition

E-Voting. The process of voting online.

Database. This is where the votes are being stored.

 Chapter 2

Review of Related Literature

This chapter presents the review of the related literature and

studies that will enable the researchers to acquire basic information

and references in the present study.

According to Wikipedia.org (2012) Electronic Voting (also known

as e-voting) is a term encompassing several different types of voting,

embracing both electronic means of casting a vote and electronic means

of counting votes. (http.//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_voting).

According to www.vaalit.fi (2008) electronic voting presents

numerous advantages over traditional paper ballot voting. The

advantages of an electronic voting system can be divided into

advantages for the voters and advantages for the authorities.

Advantages of electronic voting for voters includes: electronic voting

speeds up the voting process and increase the security and reliability of

elections where electronic vote is transported safely, reliably and fast

into the centralized electronic ballot box.

(http://www.vaalit.fi/sahkoinenaanestaminen/en/etuja).

According to www.vaalit.fi (2008) advantages of electronic voting

to the authorities are as follows: electronic voting reduces and simplifies

the work of the authorities significantly; electronic voting leads to

notable cost savings through reduced personnel; reduced cost for

example various forms and documents are no longer needed; electronic

votes can be counted fast and reliably, and the result of the vote will bw

ready almost immediately.

(http://www.vaalit.fi/sahkoinenaanestaminen/en/etuja).

Haupt (2008) described a different voting process that could be

considered “electronic voting”. According to Haupt there exist a paper

based system that uses computers to count the actual ballots; however,

the original paper ballot is still intact. Direct Recording Electronic (DRE)

voting is a machine that does not use a paper ballot like the paper based

electronic voting machines. Instead people choose their candidates and

proposals through an electronic screen, either through buttons or

through a modern approach, touch screen.

(http://voices.yahoo.com/electronic-voting-good-bad-2085596.html).

On February 25, UP Diliman (UPD) held its first campus-wide

computerized University Student Council (USC) elections. The open

source voting system, called “Halalan”, was created by the UP Linux

Users Group (UnPLUG), a student organization at the College of

Engineering (CoE). The colleges provided the computers for the

elections. The voting process started with students presenting their IDs

or Form-5s to attending poll clerks, who checked the list of valid voters.

Using their student numbers and the passwords provided as login

information, they opened their electronic ballots and marked the boxes

of their chosen candidates.

Chaum et al (1981) discussed about voting entails a democratic

apparatus used to enthrone democratic leaders and in some quarters it

is regarded as one of the most effective methods for individuals to

express their opinions on a given topic.

Philip Klein et al (1995) presents a remote voting scheme that

applies the technique of blinded signature to a voters ballot so that it is

impossible for anyone to trace the ballot back to the voter. They achieve

the desired properties of privacy, universal verifiability, convenience

and untraceability, but at the expense of receipt-freeness.

Peter et al (2003) discusses a secure PKI based system for e-voting

that was developed. They tested the application, several organizational

aspects, and usability in fourteen field trials. In their paper they

describe the method and findings. What they learn about turnout,

about the logistics of organizing e-voting, and about usability and

reliability of the system in practice.

Alexander et al (2004) in his paper discusses what threats e-voting

faces. The purpose of his paper is to give a systematically ordered

overview of attacks against e-voting and to show one solution to the

issues. The challenge is to provide identification and anonymity at the

same time and to exclude the possibility of fraudulent manipulations by

the server administration, the voter, and any third party.

Sampigethaya et al (2006) looks at the numerous e-voting

protocols proposed which are meant to fulfill different requirement sets

using cryptographic tools and primitives, these underlying primitives

are
 Chapter 3

Technical Background

Introducing new system in election is always challenging, and requires

careful deliberation and planning. Electronic voting (e-voting) is arguably the

most difficult upgrade, as this technology involves the core of the entire

electoral process: the casting and counting of votes. E-voting greatly reduces

direct human control and influence in this process, and provides an

opportunity to solve some old electoral problems, but it also introduces a

whole range of new concerns. Therefore, e-voting can be expected to trigger

more criticism and opposition than any other application in elections.

There a number of e-voting and vote-counting systems that are

marketed as a means of improving voting methods and reducing costs. Some

of the systems claim to offer a high degree of reliability and resistance to

electoral malpractice.

 Online voting systems transfer votes via the Internet to a central counting

server. Votes can be cast either from public computers or from voting

kiosks in polling stations or more commonly from any Internet-connected

gadget.

Comprehensive controls and accountability measure come at a price.

More transparent and secure systems cost more. A system with the highest

possible levels of transparency and security can increase cost so much that

the benefits of the e-voting solution no longer justify the expenditure.

 For a democratic country, public opinion is the most important

determinant to establish a government and voting is process through which

people display their opinion and help to setup a democratic government. So,

the voting system should be reliable, accurate and it must be transparent.

Let’s consider the following points:

 The system that exists currently in the university is totally paper

based and manual that takes lots of time.

 The enrolled students are considered registered just before the

election so the personnel get some time in hand for making all the

necessary arrangements with in this period of time. They will add

new voters with the previous voters but remove the students who

have graduated or dropped by this time.

 Sometimes students ruin their votes by stamping on two or more

signs mistakenly. This is also a drawback of paper based voting

system. While casting the votes, the acting officers present in the

center marks a voter with a black ink on his or her nail but it is

removable. So there is a chance for casting illegal votes. Again

these votes are counted manually so the process becomes a

gradual one which may be inaccurate as well.

All these problems together made the researcher think about inventing

a new system that will reduce bias, increase accuracy and fast paced. The

concept of electronic voting system comes from this necessity.

 Flow Chart
Start

Register voter

No

Is voter
registered

Yes
Voter Log-in

Show error message

Username.
Register error log
No
Password.

Voter President - Representatives

Vote
successful
No

Display system error

mesage
Save to database

Redirect to voter’s
profile
Update vote count

Show confirmation

End
 Chapter 4

Methodology

This chapter deals with the method used by the researchers in conducing the

study, the system development method used, and its results and discussion.

The researchers will utilize several analytical tools to help and justify the

conduct of the study and also guide the researchers to resolve the problems

encountered by the school administrators and student voters in the election

process. The analytical tools include interview, observation and brainstorming

which will be employed by the researchers in analyzing the problems of the

existing system.

Observing is the study of the expected users. By observing users, an analyst

can identify a process flow, awkward steps, pain points and opportunities for

improvement.

On system development, the researchers will utilize the System Development

Life Cycle(SDLC) method in the development of the system. The SDLC method

is the process employed in the analysis and design of the VOTING SYSTEM

as shown in Figure1.
 Requirements Analysis

System and Software

Design

Testing

Implementation

Operation and
Maintenance
Figure 1.0 Modified Waterfall Approach Model

Figure 1.o illustrates the Modified Waterfall Model that will

be used by the researchers in developing the Online Voting System.

The model develops systematically from one phase to another in a

downward fashion, like a waterfall. It is made up of several phases

and details of these phases are:

Requirement Analysis. In this phase, the researchers will

study how the system works, determine the user’s wants, needs

and requirements, and recommended a solution.

System and Software Design. On this phase, the system will

be designed based on the requirements needed in the system.

Process modelling and data modelling will be done to present the

system’s data and the relationship between different data

elements.
 Testing. This phase aimed to find out whether the software

functions and features work according to the specification, ensure

that the produced system is complete and performs efficiently,

evaluate whether the software perform all activities after

integration with the existing operating environment, and measure

up the reliability and overall quality of the software.

Implementation. In this phase, the researchers will conduct

the system dry-run and conduct training of the target users of the

system. The users of the system will check if the recommended

functions and suggestions of the users are met.

Operation and Maintenance. This phase is to ensure the

information system is fully functional and performs optimally until

the system reaches its end of life.

 ONLINE VOTING SYSTEM

Presented to the Faculty of

Bachelor of Science and Information Technology

ISABELA STATE UNIVERSITY

San Mateo, Isabela

LYKA G. APOSTOL

SY: 2018 - 2019