TOPIC: Updating Roar Voting on the Internet
09-27-2004, 07:02 PM
#1
Tech Regular
Thread Starter
Updating Roar Voting on the Internet
What would everyone think about being able to vote online? This question has been asked in the past and is a definite possibility in the future.
The Roar website is dated and needs to be replaced. What would you say to be able to:
- Vote online
- Update your Roar membership information
- Renew your Roar membership
- Talk directly to Roar directors and other Roar members via a dedicated Roar Message board
- Find out and possibly signup for Roar sanctioned events
- Access to current and past Rev-Up Magazines
- Access to Roar Rule Books
Being from region 10 in the last election my region had the highest number of votes for a voting region. In saying that, it is almost a joke since I believe we had a total of around 30 votes. I think that if Roar Members could vote in a method online OR through a traditional ballot, voting would be a much larger percentage.
My question to you is; What concerns would you have? Why wouldn’t this be a good idea?
Let your voice be heard...
Corey
Note: (This is a duplicate of a topic posted on another message board)
The Roar website is dated and needs to be replaced. What would you say to be able to:
- Vote online
- Update your Roar membership information
- Renew your Roar membership
- Talk directly to Roar directors and other Roar members via a dedicated Roar Message board
- Find out and possibly signup for Roar sanctioned events
- Access to current and past Rev-Up Magazines
- Access to Roar Rule Books
Being from region 10 in the last election my region had the highest number of votes for a voting region. In saying that, it is almost a joke since I believe we had a total of around 30 votes. I think that if Roar Members could vote in a method online OR through a traditional ballot, voting would be a much larger percentage.
My question to you is; What concerns would you have? Why wouldn’t this be a good idea?
Let your voice be heard...
Corey
Note: (This is a duplicate of a topic posted on another message board)
09-27-2004, 08:57 PM
#2
- Vote online
There are ways and it would be cool, as a supplement to the written ballot. A combination would be more work for the election committee since they would need to check that there are no duplicates from the online to the written.
A highly hardened and secure server would need to be found. I do know of services that do this, but they cost money (some are very inexpensive, but money is still money). Just doing it one's-self is not a good idea.
- Update your Roar membership information
- Renew your Roar membership
I like these two. A lot.
- Talk directly to Roar directors and other Roar members via a dedicated Roar Message board
In truth - I think that RC-Tech is a better place. It already exists, it's the foremost forum for RC, it's established and we already come here.
Link to it, though!
they do, though, have a forum: ROAR-Conference 2004
- Find out and possibly signup for Roar sanctioned events
Already exists! There is no online signup but signups go through the local track, not ROAR so that would be up to the local track.
They do post the ROAR events, at a national level anyway. I'm not sure about regionals though. I haven't found those, yet. . .
http://www.roarracing.com/nats/index.htm
- Access to current and past Rev-Up Magazines
I haven't looked for these, but truthfully, I've never found anything in the Rev-Up mags that I would want to look up!
- Access to Roar Rule Books
Already exists!
http://www.roarracing.com/rules/index.htm
There are ways and it would be cool, as a supplement to the written ballot. A combination would be more work for the election committee since they would need to check that there are no duplicates from the online to the written.
A highly hardened and secure server would need to be found. I do know of services that do this, but they cost money (some are very inexpensive, but money is still money). Just doing it one's-self is not a good idea.
- Update your Roar membership information
- Renew your Roar membership
I like these two. A lot.
- Talk directly to Roar directors and other Roar members via a dedicated Roar Message board
In truth - I think that RC-Tech is a better place. It already exists, it's the foremost forum for RC, it's established and we already come here.
Link to it, though!
they do, though, have a forum: ROAR-Conference 2004
- Find out and possibly signup for Roar sanctioned events
Already exists! There is no online signup but signups go through the local track, not ROAR so that would be up to the local track.
They do post the ROAR events, at a national level anyway. I'm not sure about regionals though. I haven't found those, yet. . .
http://www.roarracing.com/nats/index.htm
- Access to current and past Rev-Up Magazines
I haven't looked for these, but truthfully, I've never found anything in the Rev-Up mags that I would want to look up!
- Access to Roar Rule Books
Already exists!
http://www.roarracing.com/rules/index.htm
09-28-2004, 08:49 AM
#3
Tech Regular
Thread Starter
Originally posted by Boomer
- Vote online
There are ways and it would be cool, as a supplement to the written ballot. A combination would be more work for the election committee since they would need to check that there are no duplicates from the online to the written.
A highly hardened and secure server would need to be found. I do know of services that do this, but they cost money (some are very inexpensive, but money is still money). Just doing it one's-self is not a good idea.
- Update your Roar membership information
- Renew your Roar membership
I like these two. A lot.
- Talk directly to Roar directors and other Roar members via a dedicated Roar Message board
In truth - I think that RC-Tech is a better place. It already exists, it's the foremost forum for RC, it's established and we already come here.
Link to it, though!
they do, though, have a forum: ROAR-Conference 2004
- Find out and possibly signup for Roar sanctioned events
Already exists! There is no online signup but signups go through the local track, not ROAR so that would be up to the local track.
They do post the ROAR events, at a national level anyway. I'm not sure about regionals though. I haven't found those, yet. . .
http://www.roarracing.com/nats/index.htm
- Access to current and past Rev-Up Magazines
I haven't looked for these, but truthfully, I've never found anything in the Rev-Up mags that I would want to look up!
- Access to Roar Rule Books
Already exists!
http://www.roarracing.com/rules/index.htm
- Vote online
There are ways and it would be cool, as a supplement to the written ballot. A combination would be more work for the election committee since they would need to check that there are no duplicates from the online to the written.
A highly hardened and secure server would need to be found. I do know of services that do this, but they cost money (some are very inexpensive, but money is still money). Just doing it one's-self is not a good idea.
- Update your Roar membership information
- Renew your Roar membership
I like these two. A lot.
- Talk directly to Roar directors and other Roar members via a dedicated Roar Message board
In truth - I think that RC-Tech is a better place. It already exists, it's the foremost forum for RC, it's established and we already come here.
Link to it, though!
they do, though, have a forum: ROAR-Conference 2004
- Find out and possibly signup for Roar sanctioned events
Already exists! There is no online signup but signups go through the local track, not ROAR so that would be up to the local track.
They do post the ROAR events, at a national level anyway. I'm not sure about regionals though. I haven't found those, yet. . .
http://www.roarracing.com/nats/index.htm
- Access to current and past Rev-Up Magazines
I haven't looked for these, but truthfully, I've never found anything in the Rev-Up mags that I would want to look up!
- Access to Roar Rule Books
Already exists!
http://www.roarracing.com/rules/index.htm
2. Thanks
3. Its true that RC-Tech exists but a message board that is just for Roar is a good thing. I know a ton of people come here but a ton of people visit the other Roar message board too. A centralized place that can provide separate forums for each racing class or subject would be nice. (please take no offense to what RC Tech provides Roar currently)
As for the Current Roar message Board, it is a good place for now but is intimidating to newbies and even people that have used the Internet for years. The new message board would be a similar format to almost all message boards on the Internet today (including RC Tech).
4. Yes you can find out about nationals such as which track and when but no detailed information is provided. I know that Roar has this information since it is part of the application process and could be added to the information. One site for all the information I need is a good idea.
No regional race information is posted on the main Roar site (as far as I can tell). This would give racers a place to find Roar sanctioned events as well as other events in their region.
5. Rev-Up is where information about each region is SUPPOSED to be written. It has lists of information about races and tracks in each region. I do think that it would be an added value to the website.
6. Yes the current Rule book is available for download but why not have a HTML version of the Rules that is searchable and indexed so you can find information quickly and easily.
09-28-2004, 10:24 AM
#4
Excellent (must be read with Mr. Burns in mind. . . 
)
Comment on a voting server - I've seen them hacked so what I've had recommended to me, for IT surveys that I do on a periodic basis, is to use a separate server that can be ULTRA hardened and, if it goes down, it won't take the entire shebang with it.
It's logistical and doesn't really need to be discussed here. . .
The CONCEPT is great! I was just trying to let people know that there are some other considerations. . .you just can't say "Let It Be So" or plug some program in!
----------
ROAR specific forums would be wonderful. If I may make a suggestion - use PhpBB or vBulletin (what RCTech uses) - I use both (I manage two PhpBB's) and they are both very userfriendly. PhpBB is also free and VERY simple to manage (not sure about vBulletin - you'd have to ask Futureal)
----------
Better info about each National or even Regional would be wonderful. Truthfully, it shouldn't be that big of a job to make a dynamic php/mysql module for it and it would make it easy for Regional/National Directors to upload the data for their big races. . . THAT would be a great thing!
-----------
The current rule book is PDF - which is searchable and easily printable. Truthfully, I'm happy with it.
HTML would be nice, but PDF is sufficient and robust.
----------
Thanks for the comments!
)Comment on a voting server - I've seen them hacked so what I've had recommended to me, for IT surveys that I do on a periodic basis, is to use a separate server that can be ULTRA hardened and, if it goes down, it won't take the entire shebang with it.
It's logistical and doesn't really need to be discussed here. . .
The CONCEPT is great! I was just trying to let people know that there are some other considerations. . .you just can't say "Let It Be So" or plug some program in!
----------
ROAR specific forums would be wonderful. If I may make a suggestion - use PhpBB or vBulletin (what RCTech uses) - I use both (I manage two PhpBB's) and they are both very userfriendly. PhpBB is also free and VERY simple to manage (not sure about vBulletin - you'd have to ask Futureal)
----------
Better info about each National or even Regional would be wonderful. Truthfully, it shouldn't be that big of a job to make a dynamic php/mysql module for it and it would make it easy for Regional/National Directors to upload the data for their big races. . . THAT would be a great thing!
-----------
The current rule book is PDF - which is searchable and easily printable. Truthfully, I'm happy with it.
HTML would be nice, but PDF is sufficient and robust.
----------
Thanks for the comments!
10-01-2004, 11:15 PM
#6
Tech Regular
Thread Starter
Originally posted by Stinky1
Voting
It could be done but would have to be monitored constantly. Like every 5 mins. Then extra votes would have to be weeded out but I have seen websites that only allow you to vote once. Howardstern.com has this. Then you have to worry about people that use ISP's that are dynamic like adelphia, comcast, cox. Where you have an abundant amount of IP address's. Fake voting would be hard to excersise. You would also see people using blind IP address's to vote more than once. or voting for other people that haven't voted.
Pretty much sums it up. It wouldn't work.
Voting
It could be done but would have to be monitored constantly. Like every 5 mins. Then extra votes would have to be weeded out but I have seen websites that only allow you to vote once. Howardstern.com has this. Then you have to worry about people that use ISP's that are dynamic like adelphia, comcast, cox. Where you have an abundant amount of IP address's. Fake voting would be hard to excersise. You would also see people using blind IP address's to vote more than once. or voting for other people that haven't voted.
Pretty much sums it up. It wouldn't work.
10-02-2004, 09:06 AM
#8
I guess I'm just different- as a Region director I'm on the internet all the time. Anyone can call me (eastern standard time) till 10pm. I 'm now back on track and at 99% of the electric on-road races in our state series.
As for voting being the largest single state/region in ROAR if we have over 60 votes it's a miricle.Every year that I run for relection I've got ballots at the race before the election. I go to everyone pits and get the racers to vote.This still is not 100% of those at the race.Just because the votes would be on the internet does not mean that you'll get more votes.People/racers are very lazy when it comes to voting.Just look at this next national (for president of USA). and see the % of actual voters. I prefer the present way we vote by mail.
Bill Fraden
As for voting being the largest single state/region in ROAR if we have over 60 votes it's a miricle.Every year that I run for relection I've got ballots at the race before the election. I go to everyone pits and get the racers to vote.This still is not 100% of those at the race.Just because the votes would be on the internet does not mean that you'll get more votes.People/racers are very lazy when it comes to voting.Just look at this next national (for president of USA). and see the % of actual voters. I prefer the present way we vote by mail.
Bill Fraden
10-03-2004, 10:34 AM
#9
Tech Regular
Thread Starter
Bill,
We are not talking about replacing the voting process (at least not yet), just supplementing it with another option. I know that most people, myself included, have a hard time filling out even a card and mailing it back. But if I could login and vote I would.
How many people involved with racing where you’re located use the Internet? About 70% of all American households have Internet access, and that number is steadily increasing. It’s time for Roar to move ahead with technology this is just one of the steps.
We are not talking about replacing the voting process (at least not yet), just supplementing it with another option. I know that most people, myself included, have a hard time filling out even a card and mailing it back. But if I could login and vote I would.
How many people involved with racing where you’re located use the Internet? About 70% of all American households have Internet access, and that number is steadily increasing. It’s time for Roar to move ahead with technology this is just one of the steps.
10-03-2004, 12:00 PM
#10
its a step in progress that will be effective for the next elections..
Thanks Corey!
Thanks Corey!
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