Maryland House Unanimously Approves Paper Ballots for Coming Election

[kpete]

Md. House Approves Paper Ballots

By Ann E. Marimow
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, March 10, 2006; Page B04

The Maryland House of Delegates unanimously passed legislation yesterday to ditch the state's touch-screen voting machines for the coming election in favor of a system that uses paper ballots.

The 137 to 0 vote in the House and the endorsement of the plan this week by Republican Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. represents a stunning turnaround for a state that was on the leading edge of touch-screen voting in 2001, and it reflects a national shift toward machines that provide a paper record.


Linda H. Lamone, Maryland's top elections official, says paper ballots provide a "false sense of security." (By Robert A. Reeder -- The Washington Post)

Return to Paper Trail Reflects Trend

The Maryland House's unanimous vote to return to optical scan voting machines reflects a national shift favoring voting methods that leave a paper trail. Optical scanning requires voters to mark a paper ballot, which is then read by an optical scanner and dropped into a metal ballot bin.

The touch-screen system, for which Maryland has committed more than $90 million, would be put aside for one year while the state spends at least $13 million to lease optical scan machines.

"It's critically important for voters to know their vote was cast and that it will be counted correctly," said Del. Obie Patterson (D-Prince George's).

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/20...

[MadMaddie]

1. Good News!!

[EFerrari]

2. Congratulations, Maryland!

[myrna minx]

3. Way to go Maryland!

[Norquist Nemesis]

4. opti-scan machines aren't much better

Before they spend that money to switch over, they should do some more research. For instance: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/10/education/10sat.html?...

SAT Errors Raise New Qualms About Testing

Published: March 10, 2006
The scoring errors disclosed this week on thousands of the College Board's SAT tests were made by a company that is one of the largest players in the exploding standardized testing business, handling millions of tests each year.
...

These are scanned sheets. Yes, there's paper to check against but the point is that it's not necessarily more accurate or reliable.

[hootinholler]

8. We already have opti-scans from prior elections...

I agree the tabulators suffer problems, but, at least votes can be recounted by hand with them.

If Erlich really cared he would fire LeWhore.

-Hoot

[FredStembottom]

21. Yep. Only "half a loaf".....but it's the _best_ half!

Paper ballots can be recounted by hand. That's not everything - but it gets us to a minimum acceptable level.

Let's help this "virus" spread to other states!

[sinkingfeeling]

5. At least one state still is sane! Congrats!

[marions ghost]

6. good news

but they still need random hand counts

[hootinholler]

23. Indeed we do!

We're working on that educational issue.

-Hoot

[Greeby]

7. Woot, gg maryland

http://www.barrywelsh.org/fiftystate/index.html <-------------------- although, in terms of the big picture, it's more of a hold-the-line proposition than major pickups

[NastyRiffraff]

9. My state!!!!

I'm so proud. Yes, I know more needs to be done, and whatever system replaces Diebold has to be looked at carefully. But the important point is, votes will be verifiable.

I dislike Erlich, but on this one issue I have to say he's done a stunning turnaround.

I'll still vote against him, though

[ooglymoogly]

10. proof that some sanity still exists

kick n nom

[DoYouEverWonder]

11. #13 million could pay for a lot of people

to hand count paper ballots.

Oh that's right, then it would be harder to cheat.

[MissWaverly]

12. Great news!

To think that I will never have to vote on the machine that defaulted to Bush 5 times when
I tried to vote for Kerry makes me feel really good. Democracy is coming to the USA!

[donsu]

13. better watch how they are counted. . . .

nt

[electropop]

14. A miracle!

Let's hope it's a big trend.

We still need laws to back it up, such as:

Requiring true random audits by outside agencies, for every election.
Prohibiting the SoS from being involved in campaigns, or running for other office or accepting another appointed office within 5 years of an election.

[qanda]

15. I was an election judge in the last Maryland election

And we had way too many problems with the touch-screen machines. I'm glad they made this decision.

[goclark]

16. Yea for Maryland!

Now on to the rest of the States!

Let's March!

[Richard Steele]

17. BIIIIG step in the right direction! Way to go, Maryland!

[mom cat]

18. Congradulations to all who worked to make this possible by

fighting foe election reform and raising the issue of fraud, especially Andy and TIA.Please pray for TIA's speedy recovery. We need him.

[texpatriot2004]

19. Glad to hear this good news nm

[FogerRox]

20. KNR

[kster]

22. Thats cool , but if a group of

concerned citizens want to recount them voter verified paper ballots BY HAND within a timely fashion after the election , for absolutely no reason at all, will they be able to? Thats what I'd like to know.