It is quite possible that technologies being developed for other purposes (such as lasers, which are useful for all sorts of advanced materials processing) will make the process cheaper and easier still.

ECONOMIST: The ostrich��s view of the world

Less than 5% of shareholders who receive only a form directing them to vote online actually vote, while 20% of shareholders who receive the materials by mail vote, says Chuck Callan of Broadridge Financial Solutions, which handles proxy processing for brokerage firms.

WSJ: Getting Going: Why Proxy Votes May Matter More This Year