25 States have taken the lead (electronic voting receipts)

[CatWoman]

High-tech voting accessory: Paper
By Jim Drinkard, USA TODAY

WASHINGTON — Three years into a national debate over the security and reliability of computerized voting machines, the skeptics are winning.
In the past month, legislatures in five states — Connecticut, Hawaii, New Jersey, New York and Oregon — have passed laws requiring computer-based voting machines to produce a paper backup that can be verified by the voter, according to Electionline.org, which monitors voting systems. That brings to 25 the number of states that require a paper trail.

Fourteen other states and the District of Columbia are considering similar legislation. (Graphic: States' paper trails)

Paper printouts could be used to verify the electronic count, or as a fail-safe measure in case a recount is needed.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2005-08-09-voting_x.htm

[raccoon]

1. Some good news! Thanks for posting this. nt

[babylonsister]

2. Legislation pending in Texas? Be still, my heart! nt

[ComerPerro]

18. That's becuase they don't have to steal Texas

There are plenty of idiots there who are perfectly willing to vote for Bush becuase he's "one of them" and he is a "true Texan"...

[Horse with no Name]

19. You'd be surprised at how blue some areas of Texas are

Not everyone is a knuckle dragging assmuncher.:shrug:

[babylonsister]

20. Thanks, HwnN; the poster you responded to

knows not of what he speaks. I'm in TX and have had my doubts as to how my vote is counted, so a paper trail would be good news indeed.

[ComerPerro]

21. Yeah but not enough of it

Hell, the area where I live in Kansas is one of the bluest parts of the country, but I realize that the state as a whole is disgustingly and embarassingly red.

[Greeby]

3. Hmm

Judging by this, 06 is looking a bit better, wouldn't you say?

[CatWoman]

4. *fingers crossed*

:D

[opihimoimoi]

11. So Glad to see my Poi State on the List

Opi

:hug: :loveya: :toast:

[CatWoman]

14. Dennis!!!!

:hi:

:loveya:

:hi:

:loveya:

[Rainscents]

7. Yes, '06 looks pretty good,

[xxqqqzme]

5. CA passed but does not go

N2 effect until 1/1/06 which is why steroid boy is pushing the $80 million 11/2/05 'special election'

[ComerPerro]

6. ever notice that Republicans always pull this bullshit

"Oh, well, we can't have verified paper trails. That will be too difficult and take too long"

That's always what they point to: "Its hard work"

Seems to be a recurring theme.

That's why they don't want to force companies to follow environmental laws and regulations or provide health care for their employees, for example.

Apparently they know that they can't get away with pretending to have a genuine concern for the public, so they go for "its not easy enough".

And this argument about voter-verified ballots is really insulting, when they say that it will make things even more complicated than it was in 2000, 2002, and 2004. Quite a bold statement, since their suspected fraud is what brought about those difficulties in the first place.

Now they tell us that if we actually can catch them cheating, it will just make things "difficult" and "complicated" and "confusing"???

How do they get away with being such condescending jackasses?

[Greeby]

9. How do they get away with it?

Coz come the day, there's not enough people to vote them out

[TechBear_Seattle]

8. Receipt, schmreceipt

Diebold and the others can have the receipts print "I feel like chicken tonight" for all the good it will do, as there remains no proof AT ALL that the reported votes actually match the printed receipts.

The one and only way to guarantee a meaningful election with such voting machines is if they print an actual ballot, which the voter then turns in to be counted.

[CatWoman]

12. damn, that's funny!!

Diebold and the others can have the receipts print "I feel like chicken tonight" for all the good it will do

:rofl:

[TechBear_Seattle]

17. On reflection...

I should have said they could print "I feel like chickenhawk tonight." After all, the count will still be going to Republicans no matter what the receipt says. :mad:

[CatWoman]

22. LOLOLOLOL

Welcome to DU!! :hi:

Love your humor :D

[FreedomAngel82]

13. Yep

:shrug: Oh and I like your Ben Franklin quote. LOL.

[karlrschneider]

25. That is exacttly how my state Okla is switching to next year.

...

[FreedomAngel82]

10. Good!

My area does paper ballots too. We vote on the ballot and use a sharpie pen and then it goes into some machine to count. But at least there's a paper trail so that gives me hope. And I have faith in them (surprisingly) because our mayor race worked out according to the early polling (like before the election). The now mayor won every poll except for one during our election for mayor. So I'm glad to hear they too are now going to have paper trails!

[GreenPartyVoter]

15. Transparency is the key. Otherwise the receipt could be a lie.

[AllieB]

16. Thank you for posting this article

I'm glad to see that there's legislation pending in my state.

[wli]

23. someone explain how "receipts" solve anything

Also specifically what the recourse is when fraud is spotted.

[CatWoman]

24. I would think that if you went to the store, and made several purchases

yet when you get home you notice some items missing.

You have your receipt to back you up. Yes?

Hey -- it's a start.

It's much better than what we have now: NOTHING!!!!!!!

Once you vote, you have no idea where your vote went, or for whom.

At least a receipt will have your back.

[wli]

26. where is this process ever described?

As far as I can tell, you show up with your receipt and they laugh in your face.

[CatWoman]

28. well, hell's bells -- i'm fresh out of fucking ideas

take it, Wli!!

[Al-CIAda]

27. Are they verifyable?

This is still bullshit in my opinion. Why are the machines, methods and 'propriatary' technology held by partisan corporations who keep secret and unaccountable ( in both senses of the word) results from the citizens?

Until verifiedvoting and other such trusted voting rights groups weigh in, I will have zero confidence in any scheme.