Reply #131: Is the point that we want a paper trail?

[madozone]

I don't know what is unreliable about optical scan ballots, and I've seen no *evidence* that the optical scan systems in FL are inaccurate, just innuendo based on reigstration numbers which, unfortunately, is not evidence. The ballots have to be examined to prove that insinuation. The trends that I have seen posted are not convincing. And these graphs appear to be outright WRONG because they misclassify at least Wisconsin as a state without a paper trail.

I've worked elections in WI for the last 4 years using optical scan ballots, and the only errors we have had were from folded ballots (absentee) and those are rejected by the machine. Otherwise the tallies have looked accurate and the machines have always passed their audits. These machines are the kind that use a special memory and program module that has to be returned to the clerk in a sealed bag. The difference between exit polls and finally tallies in WI could simply be bad exit polls - most polls before the election showed it tight here, and the conservatives came out in large numbers this year.