NY: Essex County (the Sixth) Rejects State-Mandated Electronic Voting System

[Wilms]

Essex County Rejects State-Mandated Electronic Voting System

Monday, May 4, 2009

Elizabethtown, NY --

Essex County wants to keep using its dependable lever voting machines, according to today's vote by the Board of Supervisors. Citing the "insurmountable" costs of the optical-scan systems mandated by the Election Reform and Modernization Act (ERMA), the Board passed a resolution "supporting the continuation of our lever voting machines together with Ballot Marking Devices (BMD) and rejecting the use of a computerized voting system<.>" The resolution requests that the State Legislature and Board of Elections enact the necessary laws to allow counties to keep their current election systems.

Today's action by Essex County follows similar resolutions passed by Dutchess, Columbia, Ulster, Schuyler, and Greene Counties and the Association of Towns. Other counties are considering similar action.

~snip~

New York achieved HAVA compliance by outfitting every polling place in the state with a ballot marking device to assist voters with disabilities. The BMD provides a computer interface that creates a paper ballot; these ballots are counted by hand on election night at the polling place.

Before it was clearly understood that the use of BMDs along with lever voting systems would satisfy federal requirements, the State passed ERMA. Unless amended, repealed, or declared unconstitutional, ERMA would require electronic tabulators to be used in all NY counties. Electronic voting systems have proven to be problematic throughout the nation, breaking down, losing votes, and leading the public to question announced election results.

http://re-mediaetc.blogspot.com/2009/05/essex-county-rejects-state-mandated.html


Local News Coverage Video:
http://www.wptz.com/news/19367731/detail.html

[Bill Bored]

1. I can handle THAT KIND of rejection! nt

[aquart]

2. LOVE THE LEVERS!

[Wilms]

3. Audio Link

County Asks State to Reject Electronic Voting Systems

Pat Bradley

Listen Now

ELIZABETHTOWN, NY (2009-05-05)

Essex County has become the latest to pass a resolution asking New York State to reject electronic voting systems and keep lever voting machines.

http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/wamc/news.newsmain?action=article&ARTICLE_ID=1502089