The recent US election as an information system case study

This paper adopts an information systems perspective to study the recent American presidential election. The election may be seen as a decision making process to choose the leader to represent the wishes and interests of the people. The system supporting the process is an information system, with information technology, inputs, outputs, users, human operators, procedures, assumptions, and goals. The information system is supposed to serve as an objective instrument to support the decision making process of political election. But its functioning is deeply embedded in the political life, with its history, institutions, procedures, norms and strengths and flaws. The output of the system is thus a good enough answer, rather than the most accurate answer. All these aspects feature prominently in the recent election. In addition, the impasse in Florida reveals several problems; the more important ones are (1) the controversy surrounding voting cards that not clearly punched (2) the use of outdated technology, (3) the tension between democratic ideal and legal and political expediency.