Congress turns microscope on online voting

Online voting plans would be scrutinized under a new voting bill passed by Senate. The Equal Protection and Voting Rights Act contains provisions that would examine whether further penalties are needed to punish people who interfere with online voting and would establish a committee to look into concerns including privacy and security. "As we continue to address the current problems with our voting process, we can and should take this opportunity to examine the impact of new technologies on our elections," Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, who introduced the amendment along with Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., said in a statement. After the 2000 presidential election debacle, proponents touted online voting as a way to prevent voter fraud and confusion. Critics worry that hackers could break into the system or voter privacy could be compromised.