Quarter of voters will use unreliable machines

[struggle4progress]

One out of every four voters in November will face the same election machines - some more than 40 years old - and unreliable counting procedures that botched the presidential race in Florida four years ago.

Slow action by Congress, a series of bureaucratic blunders and foot-dragging by many local election officials mean that 575 counties in 27 states are expected to use punch-card and lever-machine voting equipment for at least one more presidential election.

Congress hoped to eliminate most of these machines before November's election. But slower-than-expected modernization of voting equipment is clouding hopes for a clear decision in the 2004 race.
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Expected to have at least one county with outdated devices are Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington state, West Virginia and Wyoming.

http://www.knoxnews.com/kns/national/article/0,1406,KNS_350_2979822,00.html

Good news and bad news? Bad news is that the BBV message hasn't gotten out and that the punch cards are still there. Good news is that the BBVs aren't all in place yet.

[iamjoy]

1. Here's An Idea

Reach out to voters in these counties/precincts (through your local DEC) and get people in areas with unreliable ballots, etc to vote absentee.