New Yorkers: Don't Buy New Machines and Dump the Old! (X)

November 25, 2007

by Sheila Parks

http://www.opednews.com

In USA v. New York State Board of Elections, et al. (US District Court,Northern District of NY, Civil Action No. 06-CV-0263) Department of Justice (DOJ) Attorney Brian Heffernan argues that even though no electronic voting systems exist that meet NY's voting technology standards, NY must use the faulty technology.

The right to vote, as well as the principle of “one person, one vote,” are cornerstones of our democracy. The anti-slavery, women’s suffrage, and civil rights movements as well as the expansion of voting to young people are all part of the history of voting rights in this country. Equally fundamental is the assurance that each voter knows that her or his vote counts and is counted as intended. At this time in our history, many have lost confidence in our voting system. This confidence must be restored.

Last year, I observed five hand-counted paper ballots (HCPB) elections: three in Massachusetts, one in Vermont and one in Maine. All five hand-countings of the paper ballots were conducted smoothly, without any hassles and were finished in a timely manner. Although HCPB do not address the egregious suppression of the vote, coupling the elimination of this suppression with HCPB is the only way we will have fair, honest, transparent elections.

In Acton, Maine, in the General Election on November 7, 2006, I observed six teams of two counters each, hand-count paper ballots. Each team was made up of a Republican and a Democrat. Not only did each team hand-count the paper ballots, but also they immediately audited the hand-count. That is, they did a second hand-count immediately after the first hand-count. With seven races and two initiatives, the six teams of two people each were able to hand-count twice 944 ballots in four hours.

http://www.opednews.com/articles/opedne_sheila_p_071125_new_yorkers_3a__dump_t.htm

(X)... http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x486477

...but Acton, Me has a population of 2,145, and NYC has 8 million, or 4.000 times the size. By extension, it would take 2 years to hand count an equivalently large number of ballots.

What honest vendor would bid on election systems w/hysterics like this? As usual, Albany will wait until the political winds separate wheat from chaff.

I'm proud to live in a crowded city where we use resources as efficiently as possible. It means we lead the way with culture, etiquette and other luxuries of civilization. It's worth preserving, even tolerating a reasonable percentage of graft and waste.

We're the envy of the world ... don't compare us to a small town.