ARBA MINCH UNIVERSITY

Online examination system

Group Members

Name ID

1.

Advisor: -

A Project Proposal Submitted to Department of Computer Science and IT for

Partial Fulfillment for the Requirement of the Degree of Bachelor Science in
Information Technology.

Arbaminch, Ethiopia

August, 2024
Contents

Abstract.......................................................................................................................................................3
1. Introduction.........................................................................................................................................4
2. Team Composition...............................................................................................................................5
3. Statement of the Problem.....................................................................................................................5
4. Objective of the Project.......................................................................................................................6
4.1. General Objective........................................................................................................................6
4.2. Specific Objective........................................................................................................................6
5. Scope of the project.............................................................................................................................6
6. Methodology.......................................................................................................................................7
6.1. Data Collection............................................................................................................................7
6.2. Development Tools......................................................................................................................7
7. Significance of the project...................................................................................................................8
8. Project Schedule..................................................................................................................................9
9. Budget Breakdown............................................................................................................................10
References.................................................................................................................................................11
 Abstract
On-line Voting System is a web based system that facilitates the running of elections and surveys online.
Users are individuals who interact with the system. All user interaction is performed remotely through
the user's web browser. Users are provided with an online registration form before voting user should
fill online form and submit details these details are compared with details in database and if they match
then user is provided with username and password using this information user can login and vote. If
conditions are not correct entry will be canceled. It contains two level of user’s administrator level and
voter level where each level has different functionality.

Keywords: Online Voting, HTML, JavaScript, MYSQL, WAMPP, PHP

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 1. Introduction

A voting system in PHP is a web-based application designed to facilitate the process of

collecting and counting votes electronically. This system leverages PHP, a widely-used server-
side scripting language, to create a dynamic and interactive platform where users can cast their
votes on various topics or elections. The PHP voting system typically interacts with a database to
store and manage user data, vote counts, and results, ensuring that the process is both secure and
efficient. By automating the voting process, this system minimizes human errors, speeds up the
tallying process, and allows for real-time result tracking, making it an essential tool for online
polls, organizational elections, or any scenario requiring a quick and accurate vote count.

Implementing a voting system in PHP also offers several customization options to suit different
needs. Developers can build features such as user authentication, vote encryption, and multiple
voting categories, ensuring that the system is both versatile and secure. Furthermore, PHP's
compatibility with various databases like MySQL allows for scalable and robust data
management, accommodating a large number of voters and complex voting scenarios. As a
result, a PHP-based voting system can be tailored to meet specific requirements, whether for
small-scale community polls or large-scale organizational elections, providing a reliable and
user-friendly solution.

The aim of electronic voting schemes is to provide a set of protocols that allow voters to cast
ballots while a group of authorities collect votes and output the final tally. Problems with voting
machines extend from the quality of the locks, to the need for a printed audit trail, to the hacking
of the communication links. Although voting makes many people to believe that voting is the
perfect application for technology, but in reality applying it is hard. For a voting system to be
ideal, four attributes must be satisfied: anonymity, scalability, speed, and accuracy.

Online Voting System is a web based system that facilitates the running of elections and surveys
online. This system has been developed to simplify the process of organizing elections and make
it convenient for voters to vote remotely from their home computers while taking into
consideration security, anonymity and providing auditioning capabilities.

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 2. Team Composition

Table 1: Team composition

Project Title Online Examination System

Prepared By S.No. Name ID. No. Email/ Responsibility

Group Mobile
members
1 Team leader

2 Report writer

3 Programmer

4 Programmer

5 Report writer

Date August 2024

Advisor

3. Statement of the Problem

In the digital age, traditional voting methods are often marred by inefficiencies, inaccuracies, and
logistical challenges, especially in environments where large numbers of participants are
involved. Manual vote counting is prone to errors, and paper-based systems can be cumbersome
and slow. As a result, there is a growing need for a streamlined, secure, and efficient voting
system that can address these issues. The challenge lies in developing a voting system that not
only simplifies the voting process but also ensures accuracy, integrity, and transparency of the
results. This requires an effective solution that minimizes human intervention, reduces the risk of
tampering, and provides real-time data accessibility.

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The proposed PHP-based voting system aims to tackle these problems by offering a web-based
platform that automates and digitizes the entire voting process. By leveraging PHP for server-
side scripting and integrating it with a robust database system, the solution seeks to create a
secure environment where votes can be cast, stored, and counted with precision. Key challenges
include ensuring secure user authentication, protecting against vote tampering, and managing
data integrity throughout the voting process. Addressing these concerns will help in delivering a
reliable and scalable voting system that enhances the efficiency and credibility of elections,
whether for organizational, community, or broader electoral purposes.

4. Objective of the Project

4.1. General Objective

The general objective of this project is to develop web-based online voting system which is
applicable for different organization.

4.2. Specific Objective

To achieve the above general objective, we will use the following specific objectives

 To develop a user-friendly and accessible platform

 To automate the voting and tallying processes to minimize human errors
 To implement robust security measures to protect against unauthorized access
 To design a system that can accommodate various types of elections or polls, from small-
scale surveys to large organizational elections.

5. Scope of the project

The scope of a PHP-based voting system encompasses the development of a comprehensive web
application that streamlines the voting process from start to finish. This includes the creation of
user-friendly interfaces for voters to cast their votes securely and efficiently, as well as
administrative interfaces for managing elections, monitoring results, and generating reports. The
system will include features such as user authentication to ensure that only authorized
individuals can vote, vote encryption to protect the confidentiality of each ballot, and automated

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vote tallying to provide accurate and timely results. The application will be designed to handle
various types of voting scenarios, from simple polls to complex elections with multiple
candidates and voting categories.

Additionally, the system will integrate with a relational database like MySQL to manage and
store voting data, ensuring data integrity and scalability. The project scope includes developing
security measures to safeguard against unauthorized access and tampering, as well as
incorporating real-time analytics to provide instant feedback on voting trends and results. The
solution will be built with flexibility in mind, allowing for customization to accommodate
different voting requirements and to adapt to various organizational needs. Overall, the PHP
voting system aims to provide a reliable, scalable, and user-centric solution that enhances the
efficiency and accuracy of the voting process.

6. Methodology

6.1. Data Collection

To develop an effective online voting system, a variety of data gathering methods can be
employed to ensure the system meets user needs, addresses potential issues, and complies with
regulatory requirements. Key methods include:

1. User Surveys and Questionnaires: Conduct surveys and questionnaires targeting

potential users, including voters, administrators, and technical staff, to gather insights
into their needs, preferences, and concerns. This method helps identify key features and
functionalities that users expect from the system and any usability challenges they might
face.
2. Interviews and Focus Groups: Organize interviews or focus group discussions with
stakeholders such as election officials, IT professionals, and legal experts. These
interactions provide in-depth understanding of the operational requirements, security
concerns, and compliance issues that need to be addressed in the system.
3. Literature Review: Review existing literature, case studies, and research papers on
online voting systems to understand best practices, common challenges, and

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 technological advancements. This research helps in designing a system that leverages
proven methodologies and avoids pitfalls encountered by other systems.

6.2. Development Tools

Below mentioned are the tools we will use to develop the proposed online voting system:

 HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) is the most basic building block of the Web. It
defines the meaning and structure of web content. Each page contains a series of
connections to other pages called hyperlinks. Every web page you see on the Internet is
written using one version of HTML code or another.
 Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) is a simple mechanism for adding styles (e.g., fonts,
colors, and spacing) to Web documents. CSS defines how HTML elements are to be
presented on screen, paper, or in other media. CSS saves a lot of work. It can control the
layout of multiple web pages all at once.
 PHP is a server-side scripting language. PHP stands for Hypertext Preprocessor, which
earlier stood for Personal Home Pages. PHP scripts can only be interpreted on a server
that has PHP installed. As mentioned above HTML CSS and PHP are the languages used
in this project. As php is server-side language it requires a server to be interpreted.
Therefore, we will use WAMP server
 WAMP SERVER: WampServer refers to a software stack for the Microsoft Windows
operating system, created by Romain Bourdon and consisting of the Apache web server,
MySQL database and PHP programming language. The database language used in our
project, MySQL: MySQL is a relational database management system based on SQL –
Structured Query Language. The most common use for MySQL, however, is for the
purpose of a web database. Standard SQL commands such as ADD, DROP, INSERT and
UPDATE can be used in MYSQL.

Advantages of MySQL:

• High speed, using the SQL queries, the user can quickly and efficiently retrieve a large
amount of records from a database.
• In the SQL standard, it is very easy to manage the database system.

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 7. Significance of the project

The significance of a PHP-based voting system lies in its ability to modernize and streamline the
voting process, making it more efficient and accessible. By transitioning from traditional paper-
based methods to a digital platform, the system not only reduces the potential for human error
but also accelerates the tallying and reporting of results. This efficiency is particularly crucial in
scenarios involving large numbers of voters or multiple voting rounds, where manual counting
can be time-consuming and prone to inaccuracies. The automated nature of a PHP voting system
ensures that votes are counted accurately and promptly, providing stakeholders with timely and
reliable results.

Moreover, the security features integrated into a PHP-based voting system such as user
authentication, data encryption, and secure data storage enhance the integrity and confidentiality
of the voting process. By addressing concerns related to vote tampering and unauthorized access,
the system fosters trust and confidence among voters. The scalability and flexibility of PHP also
allow the system to be tailored to various types of elections or polls, making it a versatile tool for
different organizational needs. Overall, the significance of a PHP voting system extends beyond
mere convenience; it contributes to the integrity and effectiveness of the voting process,
supporting fair and transparent decision-making in a digital age.

8. Project Schedule
The summary of activities and the time schedule are described in the table below:

Table 2: Project schedule

Activities Schedule
4 5-7 8-12 13-14 15-16 17-18
week

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 s Weeks Weeks Weeks Weeks Weeks
Project planning

Requirement
Analysis
System and
Object Design
Implementation

Testing and QA

Documentation

9. Budget Breakdown
The total budget required for this study is 21,200 Ethiopian birr. Each activity and the
corresponding budget requirements are summarized in the table below:

Table 3: Budget breakdown

No Activities Quantity Unit of Duratio Unit cost Total cost

measureme n Birr Cent Birr Cent

nt
1 Stationary materials;
Double A Paper 1 Packet - 1100 00 1100 00
Pen (Radical) 30 Number - 30 00 900 00
2 Communication and others
Mobile card - Number - - - 1,000 00
4 Cost of printing 400 Copies - 5 00 2000 00

5 Transportation - - - - - 5,000 00
6 Data gathering and 4 Persons Per head 3 days 500 00 6000 00

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 Analysis
7 Hard disk 1 Number - 4,20 00 4,200 00
0
8 Sub total 19200 00
9 Contingency - - - 2,000 00
Grand total 21,200 00

References

 Software Testing Tutorial-Tutorials point

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 https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/
 https://www.w3schools.com/
 https://programmer2programmer.net
 https://projectworld.in
 https://1000projects.org
 https://www.academia.edu

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