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The Transcript.com
Voice of the Northern Berkshires
Jan. 4, 2006
Cheshire rejects voting mandate for machines
By Shaw Israel Izikson, North Adams Transcript
January 4
CHESHIRE — According to the Selectmen, if it ain't broke for
over 213 years, don't fix it.
During a meeting Tuesday, the Selectmen signed a letter to
Secretary of State William F. Galvin, saying that they would not comply with
the federal Help America Vote Act, which would require the town to buy an
electronic voting machine for elections.
The act, signed into law by President Bush in 2002, requires
all polling stations in the country to be equipped with an electronic voting
system by November 2006.
In the letter, the Selectmen said that the town would
continue to use paper ballots for elections, has been the practice for all 213
years of Cheshire's existence.
The letter, prepared by Town Administrator Mark Webber, said
in part that "The Town of Cheshire, along with 20 percent of the rest of
the Commonwealth's communities, still uses and is perfectly satisfied with the
paper ballot system of voting.
"This system has served us well for the past 213 years,
and we see no compelling reason to change," the letters states.
Selectman Paul F. Astorino said the town does not need a
modern voting machine because of its small population. "If we had
thousands of people in this town, we'd get one, but we don't," he said.
Cheshire has about 3,500 residents.
Town Clerk Christine B. Emerson, who is also head of
elections for the town, said buying a new voting machine would cost too much
for the town, and that the town already had a system for disabled voters in
place. "What is being overlooked here is that there already is a mechanism
in place for disabled voters and it's the absentee ballot system," she
said.
Funding expected
In other business, Webber said that he was going to be
meeting with Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency representatives next
Thursday, and that he was optimistic that the town would be receiving aid from
damage caused by Tropical Storm Tammy back in October.
"I think we're going to get the money we're
after," he said. "We just have to do our due diligence with the
paperwork."
Selectwoman Carol A. Francesconi asked Public Works
Department Administrator Peter LeFebvre to take down the Christmas lights from
Town Hall, which he did.
"There goes the lights, and another year gone,"
Chairman Daniel J. Delorey said.
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