On Fri, Nov 7, 2008 at 1:18 AM, Paul Tiger
<paul.tiger@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Lou (et al),
Seemingly unbeknownst to most voters, bleed through has no impact on
the scanning process. The boxes from one side to the other do not
overlap. Not even close. The system is looking for marks inside the
boxes. Marks outside the boxes don't register at all.
I agree that only the field approximating the boxes are INTENDED to be scanned, but if I'm recalling aright, the badly printed ballots (and/or the registration software) of 2004 were incredibly, inexplicably OFF-register, and a dangerously beknownst or unbeknownst voter could become irrationally exuberant about getting his ballot counted.
However, your idea that white-out flakes could be the cause is
something to consider. The real test would be to collect some of this
offending "dust" and chemically analyze it. It bothers me that the
clerk's office would make such definitive pronouncements about what the
interfering material was. For all we know it could be ricin.
Aarrgh -- Texas-weaponized white powder again -- that's all we need.