'Paper trail' ballot activists protest (WPB) elections chief

December 09, 2005

As a few demonstrators accused him of breaking his central campaign promise from 2004, Elections Supervisor Arthur Anderson said Thursday that he remains as committed as ever to pursuing a ballot "paper trail" for Palm Beach County.

But Anderson said it would be "irresponsible" to dump the county's paperless touch-screen voting machines immediately, as some activists are urging.

About 10 people carried signs outside the elections office in the first organized public display of disaffection by some of Anderson's campaign supporters.

"Anderson Betrayal" read a sign carried by one angry woman.

"You Promised A Paper Trail By Nov. 2006" read another sign.

Anderson has been saying since August that there is not enough time to buy new equipment and train poll workers and voters for the 2006 elections.

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/pbccentral/content/local_news/epaper/2005/12/09/s3c_voting_1209.html

I hate to say this, but this sounds like a classic bait and switch. Promise the people anything to get their votes and then hand out the excuses once you get elected. What is so hard about printing a paper ballot and buying some pens?

Well, that would mean giving up their advantage. We couldn't have an honest election, now could we?

n/t

We didn't throw out Theresa LePore just to have you dilly-dallying until November, 2006!

Here's what we want you to implement:


Paper and pen voting, hand counting at the precinct, under direct bipartisan observation, and calling in the tally by phone to the Secretary of State would:

1. Be simple.

2. Be relatively inexpensive.

3. Require no additional machine training of poll workers.

4. A separate blue voting ballot for Presidential voting. The other, state races on a single yellow ballot.

5. "Humidity" won't be a factor with paper voting.

6. Machines sequestered in warehouses in minority districts won't be a problem.

7. No machine technicians are necessary to diddle with machines, out of sight.

8. A power outage will not be a problem.

9. A savings of millions of dollars from trying to certify multiple types of machines.

10. A savings of millions of dollars from trying to buy printers to back up votes on machines.

11. Unsecured machine storage is no longer in the equation.

12. Computer hacking is thwarted entirely.

13. Hand-counted paper ballots can be recounted in a close race or questionable outcome. And shall be done in the presence of bipartisan observers.


And last, but not least:

14. By using paper and pen, hand-counting at the precinct under direct observation, and phoning in the tallies, We The People will regain confidence that our votes are cast, counted and reported accurately. For once. And for all time thereafter.


See, Mr. Anderson, it's not that difficult. Let's see what you are made of.

to count votes if they quit wasting money on these machines. Heck, most people would do it for free.

It's funny, I remember people saying that in 2002, and in 2003, and in 2004.... And I bet they'll say it again in 2007, too.

He seems to be cooking something up for Americans anyway though...

Not even the same color.