From: Bo Lipari <bolipari@nyvv.org>
Date: Aug 30, 2005 5:39 PM
Subject: Notes on the Delaware County Commissioners comments, Oneonta Daily Star, 8/30/05
In the article, the Delaware Commissioners say:
"Optical scan machines require voters to fill out a paper ballot and then pass it through a scanner. At present, no manufacturer makes a scanner capable of accepting a precinct-based full-face ballot. If any manufacturer makes an optical scan machine that meets state HAVA requirements for full-face ballots, we will be happy to consider it. Until then, it would be foolish to consider voting machines that fail to meet the new standards."
In fact:
Precinct based optical scanners require a small firmware modification to enable them to recognize the larger grid required by a full face ballot. This is not a difficult change and could be quickly and easily implemented by vendors. In order to sell their DREs, vendors are willing to promise absolutely any changes that NY requires, including a voter verified paper ballot (VVPB). They should apply this same willingness to meet NYS requirements with their optical scan equipment. It is an easy change to make a scanner recognize a full face ballot .
The Delaware Commissioners say:
"Therefore, our choices are narrowed to machines that have been designed for full-face ballots and have the added feature of a paper receipt.
Fortunately, such machines have an excellent track record. Saratoga County has used the same kind of electronic machines for several years in the 34 districts in Clifton Park. Officials report no problems, and the four back-up machines they purchased for breakdowns have never had to be used."
In fact:
New York State law requires that any voting equipment be equipped with a voter verified paper ballot (VVPB). To date, Sequoia and Liberty systems DO NOT have a working VVPB. If the commissioners applied the same standard they do to optical scanners ("it would be foolish to consider voting machines that fail to meet the new standards"), then they cannot then consider the Liberty or Sequoia machines either, as the current models fail to meet the NYS Election Law standards. So in this case, the fact that the DREs they are considering do not meet the state standards doesn't seem to bother them at all.
Also, since no full face ballot voting machine with VVPB exists, it is also incorrect for the Delaware commissioners to claim: "Fortunately, such machines have an excellent track record. Saratoga County has used the same kind of electronic machines for several years in the 34 districts in Clifton Park. "
The machines used in Saratoga County have no VVPB . New York State election law requires a VVPB. Full face ballot DREs equipped with VVPB do not exist, and HAVE NOT BEEN USED in any election. Yet the Delaware commissioners justify consideration of this non-existent DRE equipment.
The commissioners willingness to apply such an obvious double standard shows their bias in this decision , and belies their claim that they "remain open-minded".
-Bo Lipari
Executive Director, New Yorkers for Verified Voting
From The Daily Star, Oneonta, NY, Tuesday, 08/30/05
By William J. Buccheri and William J.Campbell
Recent letters to the editor regarding the Help America Vote Act have led us to believe that their writers have acted on incomplete or erroneous information.
In compliance with HAVA, the federal government has mandated that the entire nation modernize its voting machines. Accordingly, all of our lever-mechanical machines have to be replaced for the 2006 elections. HAVA allows for considerable choice in selecting new voting machines, and some states have added no additional provisions to the federal mandate, giving them a wide choice of machines.
New York state, on the other hand, passed a law that adds provisions to the existing federal requirements. That decision by our state Legislature requires a full-face ballot. This particular provision will limit New York’s choice of machines far more than states that simply accepted the federal mandates.
The voting machines we now use are an example of full-face balloting. Every office, candidate and proposition appears on one page or one surface. Small ATM-style machines that require the voter to paginate through several screens will not satisfy state law.
Optical scan machines require voters to fill out a paper ballot and then pass it through a scanner. At present, no manufacturer makes a scanner capable of accepting a precinct-based full-face ballot. If any manufacturer makes an optical scan machine that meets state HAVA requirements for full-face ballots, we will be happy to consider it. Until then, it would be foolish to consider voting machines that fail to meet the new standards.
Therefore, our choices are narrowed to machines that have been designed for full-face ballots and have the added feature of a paper receipt.
Fortunately, such machines have an excellent track record. Saratoga County has used the same kind of electronic machines for several years in the 34 districts in Clifton Park. Officials report no problems, and the four back-up machines they purchased for breakdowns have never had to be used.
Delaware County must wait for the state to publish its HAVA-approved list machines. Until then, we remain open-minded.
In July, the Board of Elections held a demonstration of new voting-machine technology. Our entire board of elections committee, consisting of three town supervisors, as well as the chairman of the board of supervisors and the director of the information technology department, attended.
We are confident that together we can successfully guide the transition to revised laws and procedures and new machines.
Letters written in "dismay," alleging that the commissioners are "acting in secrecy" and predicting "growth in voter cynicism" serve only the author’s vanity. We ask the public to come to us with questions as we go about the difficult task of meeting the new state and federal mandates. We certainly will do our best for all the voters.
Buccheri and Campbell are Delaware County Election commissioners.