Extend the question why are rapidity of results and ease of setup/teardown of the voting place design goals at all?
There are elections in India and the US to control billions of people and some very aggressive military people armed with weapons capable of ending modern civilisation. This is one of the most fundamental social technologies we have to keep the whole system stable (up there with limited liability corporations and courts). The downside of one of those elections failing because of voting machine trickery is stupendous.
Frankly, I'm not sure even auditability is that important as a design goal compared to voter security. If the election is close enough that an audit matters the two candidates are pretty similar. In practice, if there is any meaningful gap in preferences then the outcome of the election should be clear enough that an audit isn't that meaningful. It's nice to have and it is cheap enough to include in a paper ballot.
There are elections in India and the US to control billions of people and some very aggressive military people armed with weapons capable of ending modern civilisation. This is one of the most fundamental social technologies we have to keep the whole system stable (up there with limited liability corporations and courts). The downside of one of those elections failing because of voting machine trickery is stupendous.
Frankly, I'm not sure even auditability is that important as a design goal compared to voter security. If the election is close enough that an audit matters the two candidates are pretty similar. In practice, if there is any meaningful gap in preferences then the outcome of the election should be clear enough that an audit isn't that meaningful. It's nice to have and it is cheap enough to include in a paper ballot.