Pittsburgh: Mandate to replace voting machines raises concerns

[Carolab]

Mandate to replace voting machines raises concern

By Richard Robbins
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Sunday, May 15, 2005


County election officials are expressing increasing concern about a federal government mandate to replace levered voting machines and to upgrade other types of voting apparatus in time for the spring 2006 primary election.

Cost is one worry officials have. Educating jittery voters and poll workers is another.

"This is a mandate not totally funded," said Fayette County Commissioner Vincent Vicites. "This is a burden placed on us by the federal government. I don't see the reason for it."

The federal requirements grew out of the voting mishaps in Florida during the 2000 presidential election. Congress passed the Help America Vote Act in 2002. It mandates the "replacement of punch card or levered machines" and provides grant money for the transition to something different.

Washington and Harrisburg are still dillydallying over the specifications of the replacement technology.

Pennsylvania State Department spokesman Brian McDonald said the state will have something for the counties to consider sometime this summer.

Some county officials aren't buying that either.

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http://pittsburghlive.com/x/tribune-review/s_334449.html

[sam sarrha]

1. is a paper trail mandated? if not it is a mandate to steal the election

[Carolab]

2. Looks to me like they are pushing for optiscan or keeping levers.

From the article, "This is a mandate not totally funded," said Fayette County Commissioner Vincent Vicites. "This is a burden placed on us by the federal government. I don't see the reason for it."

Appears to me, that they are thinking about optiscan but worried that they must ensure that they are suited to disabled voters.

However, they seem more concerned about the COST versus the SECURITY issues.

Don't these people GET IT? If they use optiscan, they must direct their attention not only to the MECHANISM of voting but also to THE TABULATORS. Just implementing optiscans alone is not the answer.

[Trillo]

3. " the federal government has other ideas.

We don't have much of a choice in the matter." *Freedom* is choice.

Paper ballots don't have much cost.