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http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/newyork/ny-bc-ny--votingmachines0427apr27,0,7800148.story?coll=ny-region-apnewyork By MARC HUMBERT AP Political Writer April 27, 2006, 4:56 PM EDT ALBANY, N.Y. -- After months of haggling, the state Board of Elections has adopted guidelines for new voting machines that can be used in New York and ordered machine makers to disclose information about their political contributions and any lawsuits against them. A statement released by the board on Thursday said "these new standards go beyond Help America Vote Act (HAVA) requirements and contain a number of features that make them model regulations for the nation." The standards require a voter verifiable paper trail. The adoption of the standards mean machine manufacturers can begin submitting their wares to the board for testing that could lead to eventual sales in the lucrative New York market. State law requires New York's old lever-action machines to be replaced in time for the 2007 election. New York has been sued by the U.S. Justice Department for failing to comply with HAVA provisions requiring states to have machines in place for the 2006 elections that allow disabled voters to cast their ballots independently. The department has also charged New York with failing to meet requirements for a centralized voter registration database. New York is the only state thus far to be sued over noncompliance with HAVA, legislation adopted in the wake of the disputed 2000 presidential election. The lawsuit is ongoing and the state board has submitted a plan for complying. Under the new voting machine standards adopted by the state board, machine testing shall be "conducted in a transparent process" and "all testing and certification reports (with the exception of some security functions) will be public records posted on the state Board of Elections Web site." The board is also requiring manufacturers "to submit detailed system security analyses concerning their equipment" and "submit affidavits with their applications for certification that make detailed disclosures of all political contributions and all litigation relating to any issue concerning the operation of their voting system." The board is also demanding the manufacturers disclose any interest they have in independent testing laboratories. Barbara Bartoletti of the New York League of Women Voters, a frequent critic of the state board's operations, said the organization supports the new voting machines standards. "They incorporated most of our recommendations," she said. "We are pleased, as much as you can be when you are dealing with the Board of Elections." __________ On the Net: New York State Board of Elections, http://www.elections.state.ny.us/ |