http://timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=444581&category=LETTER&BCCode=&newsdate=1/30/2006

Times Union

January 30, 2006

Letter to the Editor

Crisis in voter confidence a fundamental problem

There is a more fundamental issue with election reform than the ineptness of state government that you decry in your Jan. 17 editorial. The more important issue is a crisis in voter confidence in elections.

You devalue this more fundamental problem by stating that good government groups are "bickering" over whether to choose a paper ballot system or a DRE computer-based system. There are no good government groups advocating for DRE systems.

The quality and quantity of the horror stories about what happens when private corporations run elections are now staggering. A Government Accountability Office report, released a few months ago, listed many of these stories and concluded that computer-based voting systems are simply not sufficiently reliable or verifiable.

It's really pretty simple. If I know my vote will be counted, I'll accept the results -- win or lose. If I think my vote may not be counted, either I will not accept the authority of the elected government or I won't care. Neither of these is good for democracy.

You point out that it was only from the attention and pressure on the Legislature that a modicum of legislative reform was passed last year. Make no mistake, if there is no confidence in our voting system, there will be no public pressure on elected officials, and then only lobbyists and money will have the power to influence government.

Why would anyone ever entrust a for-profit corporation without reliable public accountability to count our votes?

JOHN McBRIDE

Democracy for the Hudson Mohawk Region

Albany

http://timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=444573&category=LETTER&BCCode=&newsdate=1/30/2006

January 30, 2006

Letter to the Editor

State already has a system in place that enables disabled people to vote

I am writing in response to the Jan. 15 op-ed article, "Election reform must include state's disabled." The disabilities community and all New York state voters should be informed that there is currently a viable system of voting that is compliant with the federal Help America Vote Act. The system enables the disabilities community to vote in private.

That system is the basic paper ballot. It can be accompanied by one of a few ballot marking devices, which aid people who are visually impaired, need to use a breath-activated device or use a language other than English. Only one ballot marker is needed per polling place.

Paper ballots already are used for absentee voters, so they have been in compliance with the full-face requirements of state law.

Counting the ballots can be accomplished in one of two ways. Citizens of all viable political parties can volunteer to perform their civic duty to count precinct votes at the time of poll closing, as is done in Canada and other countries.

If enough people do not volunteer, a system similar to jury duty selection could be enacted with eligible voters taking turns. If the polling day is too long, it can be split into two segments -- poll opening to midafternoon and midafternoon to end of vote counting (with a slight overlap for continuity).

Alternatively, when and if it becomes available for New York certification, a simple paper scanner can be obtained per polling place. It can be programmed by state employees, thus ensuring program code which is open to public scrutiny.

With the cooperation of the state Board of Elections certifying the ballot marking devices, at least one of which is already federally certified, and county Boards of Elections selecting one of them, there is no need to wrestle with the problem of selecting among computers. The high-tech machines have been plagued with errors across the country for as long as they have been in use.

Certainly the potential for mass error or fraud is greatly reduced with the absence of easily manipulated computer software.

Let's keep it simple, give access to the disabled and save money and our democracy in a few easy steps.

BARBARA MURPHY

Clifton Park

The writer is a member of the New York State League of Women Voters and New Yorkers for Verified Voting.

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