WTF: Paper trail illegal in PA?

[screembloodymurder]

Read in this morning's paper: In Pennsylvania, voters won't receive a printed copy of their electronic ballots, as it is against the law to produce a voter-verified paper trail.

Can this be true?

Will I be arrested for taking a photo of my vote?

[Wilms]

1. I don't think that's true.

It's just that they didn't/wouldn't certify any of the machines that do print a VVPAT.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

2. It would only be illegal if you keep it. If you had proof of how you voted,

then the ballot would not be secret. Fundamental to our supposed system.

Your employer could ask to see how you voted. (even if this were illegal)

You could sell your vote if how you voted could be verified.

etc. etc.



On the other hand, I think the sensible thing would in fact BE to print out a paper ballot with each vote, the ballot goes into a locked box for auditing.

If all e-voting machines created a paper ballot for every vote like this, and a random percentage of all precincts were fully audited by a agreed upon outside election supervisory authority, and significant discrepancy a grounds for hand count or revote, then I wouldn't have problems with using machines so much.

[Generic Other]

3. That's such a simple idea and would be verified by the voter

When we used to vote on paper, each voter pushed their own ballot in the box. We can check our own receipts, stuff the box and they could be used if a re-count is required. It would serve to test the machines, verify their accuracy, alleviate our concerns about fair elections, and end the vote tampering charges that have plagued the electronic machines. One would think any honest politician could get behind this idea.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

7. It's pretty FUCKING SIMPLE, isn't it (not mad at you, LOL). What POSSIBLE

argument can be made against this, I wonder? "too expensive/difficult to do"? BULLSHIT.

[kiahzero]

4. That's exactly what VVPB is all about. (n/t)

[Eric J in MN]

5. In the states with no-excuse absentee ballots,

...an employer could theoretically demand that an employee fill out an absentee ballot and hand it to him to mail.

But I've never heard of that actually happening.

Letting people video their vote or get a receipt to take home doesn't pose any greater danger than absentee voting, which no one seems to oppose.

[Rosemary2205]

6. I've heard Georgia is the same

supposedly DEMOCRAT Cathy Cox pushed to have a law passed that paper backup for the Diebold machines is illegal. I can only say I hope that's wrong but both of the candidates for Sec of State are running on pushing to get paper backup for voting.