Cleveland Plain Dealer: Ohio delays purchasing electronic voting machines

A vote for precision

08/23/03

The rush to modernize the mechanics of voting in Ohio has been mercifully slowed. Secretary of State Ken Blackwell this week called off an ambitious plan to install electronic voting machines statewide by the 2004 primary election.

Blackwell clearly didn't want to wait. But recent developments concerning some of the companies bidding for the lucrative voting machine contracts, along with uncertainty regarding federal funding, made the delay inevitable.


Blackwell said he still hopes some Ohio counties, including Cuyahoga, can install new machines in time for March's primary. But that will depend largely on how quickly his office can funnel federal money to the counties for the conversion from punch card machines and, more importantly, the completion of security testing he has ordered on the machines.

It's far more important to do the testing right than to do it quickly. Other states already have begun to find fault with their new computerized voting systems. Ohioans must know with absolute certainty that each vote they cast is securely and accurately recorded.
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http://www.cleveland.com/editorials/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/opinion/106163171046933.xml

I hope Blackwell's "testing" is not a sham.

I worked the PD from early this year to open their eyes to what Blackwell was doing. YEAH!!!!!!!!! I am happy. Thanks to all who helped push the PD on this.

Now, there's time for our side to show its real strength on this issue with Dave Allen, Bev and DEMactivist working with all the computer scientists who want to put a stop to BBV.

Ohio is temporarily spared.

Whew... thanks, Blackwell, even though I'm not a fan.

Breathless in Cincinnati,
Jennifer
:-)

not using them during the primaries would keep the glitches from being exposed.

Putting them in place AFTER the primaries, and for the 2004 election, you would be able to wait until AFTER the Presidential selection has been notarized before saying "whoops, there's a problem with the machines."