State Voting Machine Problems Won't Be Fixed Before November

[tannybogus]

A series of mainstream media reports find states will still be wrestling with different voting systems for the presidential election.

After the 2000 election, the nation that first sent a man to the moon set for itself what seemed an attainable technological goal: ensure that states had efficient and reliable voting machines. In 2002, Congress passed the Help America Vote Act (HAVA), which allocated nearly $3 billion to the states for election administration. But eight years later, with an election fast approaching, the system is still characterized by the same panicked improvisation.

At least $1.2 billion went towards new voting machines between 2003 and 2007, McClatchy reports. But many states (Alaska, California, Florida, Iowa, Maryland, Tennessee and New Mexico) that bought touch-screen machines have decided to replace them due to concerns about their reliability. In a number of places, that process won't be completed until long after the 2008 election.

Ohio's secretary of state recently sued to recover the $83 million in state funds spent on touch-screen machines, yet the machines will nevertheless be used in November. The machines will still be widely used in dozens of other states, but the trend, McClatchy reports, is apparent:

Election Data Services, a consulting firm that specializes in elections, estimated that half the electorate used touch-screen voting in 2006. This year, less than a third will be using the touch screens.

http://www.alternet.org/democracy/95526/state_voting_machine_problems_won%27t_be_fixed_before_november/

Uh oh! Here we go! Fasten your seatbelts!:yoiks:

[annabanana]

1. At least this time many many more people are aware of the

potential problems with them. People are talking about it without being branded as conspiracy theorists. This is progress.

This election, we have to overwhelm the machines with sheer numbers. Maybe in 4 more years the machinery will be more reliable.