http://post-journal.com/articles.asp?articleID=7277

The Post-Journal

Jamestown, NY

Monday, September 25, 2006

Election Machine Manufacturers Have Not Yet Completed Certification Requirements

By The Post-Journal Staff

‘‘I was shocked to hear that not one single manufacturer has its total act together.’’

— Norman P. Green, Chautauqua County Democratic Party election commissioner

9/25/2006 - MAYVILLE — A new timeline to select voting machines for New York state by the state’s county election boards was announced Friday by the state Board of Elections.

Testing should be complete by Dec. 4 and the state Board of Elections could make a selection by Dec. 21.

Norman P. Green, Chautauqua County Democratic Party election commissioner, learned at a meeting in Albany on Friday that no manufacturer had fully submitted all required items for certification by Friday. The final day for manufacturers to get all required equipment and documents in to be part of the first round of certified voting equipment is Friday, Sept. 29.

‘‘I was shocked to hear that not one single manufacturer has its total act together,’’ said Green, who also represented Terry Niebel, Republican Party election commissioner, at the meeting. ‘‘Although it appears that Liberty Voting Systems, which will be assembled in Ellington by Dale Marshall’s Voting Machine Service Center, is the closest to having completed the initial requirements to allow for future certification of the Liberty Voting System.’’

Niebel and Green will vote on the new voting machine choice for Chautauqua County. The election commissioners have committed themselves to an open process a chance for county residents and the county legislature to have a say in the decision. However, they will only choose from voting machines manufactured by Sequoia Voting Systems or Liberty Election Systems. Sequoia has its sales and service office in Jamestown and Liberty machines will be assembled in Ellington.

‘‘State Board of Elections staff also revealed that a decision had not yet been reached as to how voting machines will be picked by the state Board of Elections if counties fail to make a timely choice,’’ Green said. ‘‘However, a state Office of General Services spokesman indicated that it had already worked out how the local 5 percent required local taxpayer share of the voting machine purchase price would be deducted from state aid if we fail to send our local taxpayer share check.’’

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