county rejects free voting system trial

["Scott A. Morris" <mlst-pol-bcv-e786894e@xxxxxxxxxx>]

atleast the camera got the date right in one of this 
morning's articles mentioning the thursday meeting...

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http://www.dailycamera.com/bdc/county_news/article/0,1713,BDC_2423_2603055,00.html

County rejects free voting system trial                      
                                                             
By Laura Morsch, Camera Staff Writer                         
January 25, 2004                                             
                                                             
A technology company has offered Boulder County free use of  
its voting system until the end of 2004. But county          
officials aren't taking the bait.                            
                                                             
Avante International Technology, one of the four finalists   
in the county's search for a new voting system, offered      
free use of its technology after learning County Clerk       
Linda Salas was set to recommend the city buy a system from  
Lafayette-based Hart InterCivic, said John Byrne, director   
of business development for Avante.                          
                                                             
                                                             
The Hart system requires voters to mark in paper ballots,    
which are then fed through a machine that scans them into a  
computer.                                                    
                                                             
But Byrne said the Avante system offers paper ballots and    
security features unmatched by other voting systems. The     
Avante system allows voters to enter a touch-screen          
electronic ballot which then prints out a paper record.      
                                                             
"We want to make sure our product is considered as well,"    
he said. "If offering it for free gives it a better          
incentive, that's great."                                    
                                                             
But Tom Halicki, the county's election manager, said         
Avante's offer was an ineffective last-ditch effort to       
influence the county to buy its system.                      
                                                             
Halicki said the Hart system's reputation was the main       
reason for choosing it over Avante's, and the free trial     
could hold hidden costs, such as the expense of programming  
the software.                                                
                                                             
Joe Pezzillo, spokesman for Citizens for Verifiable Voting   
-a group that argued for waiting to buy a new voting         
system- said Avante's offer for free use would provide       
another incentive for the county to wait before buying a     
voting system.                                               
                                                             
"We think the county should not purchase a system at this    
time," he said.                                              
                                                             
The Boulder County Clerk and Recorder's Office will hold     
public hearing at 2 p.m. Thursday in the Boulder County      
Courthouse for public comment and discussion about the       
issue of voting systems.                                     
                                                             
Contact Laura Morsch at morschl@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx or (303)     
473-1328.