Schools / Education news
When freshman students at Aliso Niguel High School vote for class representatives this week, they will cast their ballots electronically.
Voting with the school’s new high-tech ballot box system “will be a little more exciting and accessible for students,” said John Pehrson, the school’s activities director.
In the past, he said, students checked off boxes next to candidates’ names on a “Scantron” form.
The computer software for the electronic elections was developed by 1996 Aliso Niguel graduate Brad Benner, 18. The University of Washington freshman designed the program in four days for his alma mater after toying with the idea over the summer.
With Benner’s software, students will use their identification cards and a scanner to log on to the election computer program. After providing a secret password to get into the program, students will then cast their votes. The software prohibits them from voting more than once.
With the computerized system, Pehrson said, the school hopes to generate more enthusiasm for elections and eventually to use electronic balloting for everything from Associated Student Body elections to homecoming court nominations.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
