Emergency measure advocates paper ballots and election audits
By ANGELA DELLI SANTI, Associated Press Writer
(Published: January 16, 2008)
TRENTON, N.J. (AP) - Stopgap legislation set to be introduced Thursday in Washington would dedicate $600 million to voting districts that convert to paper ballots or put in audit systems in time for the November presidential election.
The measure, sponsored in the House by New Jersey Rep. Rush Holt, is designed to ensure that every vote is properly counted. Voters in all or parts of 20 states including New Jersey now cast ballots electronically without backup paper verification, Holt said.
"This is an emergency measure for this year to prevent as many disputes about the November election as possible," said Holt, a Democrat.
"Millions of Americans will be voting on unreliable electronic machines without paper ballots. There will be questions that cannot be resolved because there is no way of determining a voter's intention.
"All you have is an electronic memory," he added.
The bill, dubbed the Emergency Assistance for Secure Elections Act of 2008, would allow states and jurisdictions to receive reimbursements from the federal government if they convert to a paper ballot system, offer emergency paper ballots, or conduct audits by hand counts. The opt-in bill would provide incentives for states to provide voter-verified, audited balloting for the general election, but would not mandate standards for all states.
http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/newjersey/v-printer/story/7528379p-7430176c.html
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