Will Your Vote Be Counted?

This is the concern of New York voters. The state is under pressure from the Justice Department because new voting machines have not been chosen and certified for 2008. We are not in compliance with HAVA (Help America Vote Act) and a federal judge will decide on Dec. 20 what New York must do.

The League of Women Voters strongly supports the statewide choice of an Optical Scan Machine with paper ballots. Voters mark the ballots with pens, put the ballot in a paper sleeve and place it in the scanner which counts the votes, which are then stored in a locked box. Optical Scan Machines are small, easily stored and only one machine is needed at most polling places. These machines have been used successfully in 35 percent of U.S. precincts for over 25 years.

The cost of Optical Scan Machines is one-third of the cost of DRES. The latter require more voting machines, expensive handling and repair and have no verifiable paper trail.

What can you do? Contact the following legislators and members of the board of elections before Dec. 14. Urge them to choose the more reliable, user-friendly and less expensive Optical Scan Machine.

• Wayne Wink (516) 571-6211

1 West St., Mineola, NY 11501

wwink@nassaucounty.ny.gov

• Thomas Suozzi (516) 571-3131

1 West St., Mineola, NY 11501

tomsuozzi@mail.co.nassau.ny.us

• Judy Jacobs (516) 571-6216

1 West St., Mineola, NY 11501

jjacobs@nassaucounty.ny.gov

• John D. Grace (516) 571-2300 BOE

400 County Seat Drive,Mineola, NY 11501

• Jeffrey Stein (516) 571-2413 BOE

400 County Seat Drive, Mineola, NY 11501

Edna Vincenti

Shirley Barsky

Port Washington-Manhasset League of Women Voters

Action Co-chairs

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