NJ misses judge's deadline for electronic voting machines

[Lobster Martini]

(LM: Note the highlighted sentences. Agreed, it’s better not to rush things, but still…even the back-up plan was overdue.)

The state can't meet a Jan. 1 deadline for adding printers to electronic voting machines across the state and will ask the Legislature for more time, the Attorney General's Office said today.

That means the technology for verifying votes won't be ready for the February presidential primary, said a spokesman for Attorney General Anne Milgram.

"She thought it's better to be right than to rush things," spokesman David Wald said. "The key here is that by postponing this, we're ensuring that in the February 2008 primary, there won't be any voter confusion. It will be familiar, reliable and accurate."

<snip>

In 2005, the legislature gave the state until January 2008 to add printers. Voters would view printouts to verify their electronic ballots are recorded accurately, and the paper could be used for recounts.

Superior Court Judge Linda Feinberg, who has been monitoring the state's printer progress, has set a hearing for Monday. Last week, she ordered the state to submit overdue backup plans by today.

(Link: http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2007/09/state_cant_meet_deadline_for_e.html)