Vulnerability to Impersonation and Vote Harvesting
Proxy voting allows a third party to vote on behalf of a registered delegate. This inherently weakens the principle of voter identity verification, creating opportunities for:
- Misrepresentation
- Delegates are coerced into assigning their vote.
- Delegates are being impersonated through fraudulent proxy forms
- Aspiring candidates coordinating “block proxies” through inducements
Electoral-integrity studies consistently classify proxy mechanisms as high-risk
due to the difficulty of authenticating whether the proxy vote reflects the true intent of the absent voter. In the case of internal elections, such as the
Presidential election, it is not only essential but also critical to ensure that the proxy votes reflect the true intent of the absent voter.
Next is the absence of an Auditable Chain of Custody
A secure electoral process requires a direct, traceable relationship between the voter and the ballot. Proxy voting inserts an intermediary whose actions cannot be verified!
Finally, Many democracies, including several EU Countries, have abolished proxy voting.
In the United Kingdom, for instance, notable proxy abuse and electoral fraud have led to the conviction of councillors. There have been repeated calls bythe Electoral Reform Society (ERS) to abolish PROXY VOTING!