Reply #15: AZ: Lawmakers reject hand count of votes [View All]

[Wilms]

Lawmakers reject hand count of votes

Capitol Media Services
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 02.14.2006

PHOENIX — State lawmakers won't mandate a manual check of election results despite questions about the accuracy of voting machines.

Members of the Senate Judiciary Committee refused Monday to adopt legislation requiring a hand count of ballots cast in at least 5 percent of all precincts in the state, to be compared to the count of those same ballots by optical scanners.

If there were a significant disparity between the tallies, a full hand recount would have been required.

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State law requires a recount when the results are within certain margins. But that law spells out that the recount, like the original vote, is done with scanners.

In this case, the machine recount turned up nearly 500 additional votes, changing the outcome of the race.

Most Judiciary Committee members were swayed by arguments about the proposal's practicality.

snip

http://www.azstarnet.com/news/115771


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