Associate Professor
Securing Digital Democracy
What You'll Learn
- Understand the security risks of electronic and internet voting.
- Gain knowledge of the past, present, and future of election technologies.
5 Modules
15 Hours
3 hrs per module (approx.)
Rating
About Securing Digital Democracy
In this course, you'll learn what every citizen should know about the security risks--and future potential — of electronic voting and Internet voting. We'll take a look at the past, present, and future of election technologies and explore the various spaces intersected by voting, including computer security, human factors, public policy, and more.
Skills You'll Gain
- Internet Security
- Policy Analysis
- Public Administration
- Usability
What You'll Earn
- Certificate of Completion:
- Certificates of completion acknowledge knowledge acquired upon completion of a non-credit course or program.
Welcome Message
Welcome to Securing Digital Democracy, a course examining how computer technology affects modern elections. Learners explore electronic and internet voting systems, security risks, policy debates, and emerging solutions for protecting democratic processes.
This abbreviated syllabus description was created with the help of AI tools and reviewed by staff. The full syllabus is available to those who enroll in the course.
Course Schedule
Module 1: Voting as a Security Problem
- Reading: Syllabus and Logistics
- Reading: Staff
- Reading: Companion Reading and Resources
- Video: Welcome
- Reading: Help us learn more about you!
- Reading: Reading List
- Video: The Security Mindset
- Video: Security Requirements for Voting
- Video: The Living Voice
- Video: Early Paper Ballots
- Video: The Australian Ballot
- Video: Mechanical Voting Machines
- Video: Punched Card Voting
- Graded: Voting as a Security Problem
Module 2: Computers at the Polls
- Reading: Reading List
- Video: Computers at the Polls
- Video: Optical Scan Voting
- Video: DRE Voting Machines
- Video: Inside the Black Box
- Video: Paper as a Defense
- Video: Diebold
- Video: More Goes Wrong
- Graded: Computers at the Polls
Module 3: Security Procedures and Voting Around the World
- Reading: Reading List
- Video: Voter Registration
- Video: Voter Authentication
- Video: Guarding Against Tampering
- Video: Field Testing
- Video: Case Studies
- Video: India's EVMs
- Video: Tamperproof?
- Video: India's Response
- Video: Bonus: Deport on Arrival
- Graded: Security Procedures and Voting Around the World
Module 4:Human Factors and Internet Voting
- Reading: Reading List
- Video: Usability
- Video: Usable Paper Ballots
- Video: Accessibility
- Video: Absentee Voting
- Video: A Bad Idea
- Video: Client-side Threats
- Video: Server-side Threats
- Video: Washington, D.C.
- Graded: Human Factors and Internet Voting
Module 5: New Technology & Policy
- Reading: Reading List
- Video: Criteria
- Video: Post-Election Auditing
- Video: End-to-End Verifiable Voting
- Video: Verifying an E2E Result
- Video: Election Policy in the U.S.
- Video: Testing and Certification
- Video: Recommendations
- Graded: New Technology and Policy
- Graded: Final Writing Assignment
Grading Policy
Learners must pass all graded quizzes, complete a peer-graded final essay, and grade essays written by your peers. There are five module quizzes, each worth 15% of your final grade, and a Final Writing Assignment and peer review worth 25% of your final grade.
Course content developed by U-M faculty and managed by the university. Faculty titles and affiliations are updated periodically.
Beginner Level
No prior experience required
