Travis voting glitch prompts 'what-ifs'

[sonias]

AAS 2/27/08
Travis voting glitch prompts 'what-ifs'
County officials say electronic system is reliable, but critics still pushing for a paper record or return to optical scanning.

Saturday evening, Jan Dawes ran into a problem when she went to Highland Mall to vote in the primary.

As the Austin resident hit the "cast ballot" button after she'd made her choices on the eSlate voting machine, a message appeared warning her to "Reconnect to system to record vote."

It turned out that a pin in the back of the machine had become disconnected from the electronic ballot box, one of three places where votes are stored electronically. Reconnecting the pin would have automatically sent her vote to the ballot box.

But technicians wanted to make sure everything was all right. So they canceled Dawes' vote, rebooted all machines at the site and had her vote again.

Here we go again! :mad::nuke:

Sonia

[MagickMuffin]

1. It really is beyond my comprehension why this isn't addressed

Why O WHY, can't our legislators understand how EASY it is to screw around with our VOTES and OUR democracy.

Have they NOT figured this out YET?.?.?

How many people voted on this machine without the warning?.?.?

If our legislators don't take this issue seriously how can they gaurantee that they will win their election?.?.?

Sheesh, :grr:............ indeed.

It's almost as if we need people there at the machines to make sure the vote was tallied. And since there are NO paper trails HOW can anyone challenge the tally.:shrug:

[tbyg52]

2. But, but.....!

Nothing happened! Everything was repaired! Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain! :crazy:

[crispini]

3. this is why I love our elections guy

paper on election day -- even if the power goes out we can still vote!

[sonias]

4. I just heard from Harrington our lawsuit is on hold

I contacted him after the story, since he's quoted as saying our lawsuit is on hold. He said yes it is.

dammit!!!!!!!!!!

This thing has been in the courts for 2 years already and we won a ruling against the State when they tried to have it dismissed. This was supposed to go to trial in March. And now at last minute the state appeals the ruling.

:mad::mad::mad:

Sonia

[crispini]

5. When we take back the Lege (!) we need to fix this problem.

I'm looking forward to it! :D

[sonias]

6. Me too, baby

Representative Rafael Anchia will chair the Election Committee and things are going to be way different. Voter suppression bills will be permanently dead. And we'll encourage people to vote instead. Why we might even get Election Day Registration. Wouldn't that be a dream.

I have hope - that in my lifetime that things will be different in Texas.

Sonia

[Melissa G]

7. When things are different, it will be in part, because of all the great work

you did to make it different for everyone!
:yourock: