October 21, 2005

"Touch-screen voting receives welcome safeguards"

From the San Jose Mercury News Editorial:

"For those who understand that electronic voting needs more safeguards and scrutiny, October has been a very good month. In separate actions, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Secretary of State Bruce McPherson showed they take voting integrity seriously.

First, McPherson announced that he would create an office of voting technology, whose function will include requiring new models of touch-screen machines to undergo massive testing to simulate Election Day.

Last summer, McPherson first tried volume testing on 96 machines manufactured by Diebold Inc. His office denied certification for the model after the tests produced a number of paper jams and screen freezes. Volume testing helps detect problems before voters suffer on Election Day.

Also this month, Schwarzenegger signed SB 370, sponsored by Sen. Debra Bowen, D-Redondo Beach. It will require that counties use voter-verified paper audits when conducting recounts of electronic voting.

California became one of the first states to require that voters be shown paper receipts enabling them to verify the choices they made on touch-screen machines. Using the paper audits for recounts is the next logical step."

Posted by Randy Riddle at October 21, 2005 08:37 AM