Crist wants elections with a paper trail

[Freddie Stubbs]

BY MARY ELLEN KLAS
[e-mail]

TALLAHASSEE - Gov. Charlie Crist will recommend on Thursday that Florida's problem-plagued touchscreen voting machines should go the way of the butterfly ballot -- the trash heap -- and his proposed budget will recommend replacing them all with optical scan machines, which produce a paper trail, at a cost of up to $35 million.

U.S. Rep. Robert Wexler, a Boca Raton Democrat, will join the governor in Palm Beach County to announce that his proposed budget will include the money to pay for replacing the machines in 15 counties, said Josh Rogin, Wexler's deputy chief of staff.

''It's something we've been working on for a long time,'' Rogin said of Wexler's six-year battle to require counties to have a paper trail.

Rogin said the governor's office will recommend replacing the touchscreen machines with optical-scan machines, even though counties have spent millions acquiring the equipment.

more: http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/16582742.htm

[SharonRB]

1. Woo hoo

As long as they don't mess with the tabulators. This is seriously good news -- at least there will be a paper trail.

[rocktivity]

2. Still, he's a Republican

Crist seems to be doing all the right things. But after watching two Bushes and a Schwarzenegger masquerade as moderates then take a hard right turn, I just can't trust him. And since Crist has the opportunity to rush in where Jeb can no longer tread, I can't really blame him.

:headbang:
rocknation

[bluedog]

3. I'll give him a chance..........

so far hes trying to help with our hugh insurance problem........he may be a republic.....but many in his party think hes a closet Democrat.....

[Freddie Stubbs]

5. And many Republicans love him

He won the GOP primary by a landslide:

Crist 64.0%

Gallagher: 33.5%

http://election.dos.state.fl.us/elections/resultsarchive/DetailRpt.Asp?ELECTIONDATE=9/5/2006&RACE=GOV&PARTY=REP&DIST=&GRP=&DATAMODE=

[Synnical]

4. Local Headline: Gov. Crist to recommend ditching touch-screen machines

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-0130cristvoting,0,6954161.story?coll=sfla-home-headlines

Gov. Charlie Crist is preparing to recommend that the controversial touch-screen voting machines used in Broward, Palm Beach and 13 other Florida counties be scrapped and replaced with optical scanners that would count paper ballots.

U.S. Rep. Robert Wexler, D-Boca Raton, said the governor would recommend spending at least $20 million on optical scanners for the 15 counties with touch-screen machines when he presents his proposed budget to the state Legislature on Friday.


Wexler credited Crist with proposing a "bold and comprehensive" plan. "We are about to resolve, once and for all, the election integrity problem in Florida, and we are about to realize the dream of creating a paper trail for every voter in the state of Florida."

Crist's office could not be reached for comment Tuesday afternoon.

Wha? A Repuke in Fla got the message of November 2006? We in FLa have been skeptical. Wexler is a keeper, but Crist?

:dilemma: