RE: letter to the editor, 11/11

[Paul Walmsley <paul@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Tue, 11 Nov 2003, kellen carey wrote:

>  Another reason is that Boulder County's punch card system is falling
> apart, and has been for some time.  It is now almost 30 years old and I
> don't think the manufacturer exists any more (for maintenance or
> replacements.)  Even if the manufacturer does exist, there is little
> sense in enhancing a punch card system soon to be outlawed.  Better to
> put money into something that will be around awhile.

Given the issues you mention above, along with the availability of federal
and state money, along with the negative public perception of punch-card
voting systems, it probably makes sense for Boulder County to switch to a 
new voting system.

The main question seems to be, "what system will the County switch to?"

Rather than purchasing all DREs, the County could switch to a system that
is primarily based on optical-scan paper ballots.

>  Another reason could be money.  If Boulder County doesn't go electronic
> voting,and most of the rest of the country does and NIST expeditiously
> establishes very solid, secure electronic voting standards (highly
> unlikely), Boulder County (conceivably) could lose out on federal
> financial assistance.

If the County chooses to not switch completely to DREs, the County won't 
lose any federal money.  However, if the County does not switch away 
from punch-card voting, the County will likely lose federal money.  

>  Convincing the County Clerk that hand-marked paper ballots with some
> combination of optical scanning and sample batch testing by hand
> counting seems the best thing to do, and works both short term and long
> term.  If DREs ever become secure they can always be introduced at a
> later time.

The County does have to purchase one computerized voting device per
precinct, to comply with Section 301 of HAVA.  (Ideally, these systems
would not record votes directly, but would instead print out an official,
voter-verifiable paper ballot that would then be deposited in the
precinct's ballot box.  However, the four vendors currently under
consideration by Boulder County do not appear to support such a method.)


- Paul