N.Y. won't get new election machines this year . . .

[OneBlueSky]

By Yancy Roy
The Journal News
February 28, 2006

http://www.lohud.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060228/NEWS03/602280349/1017

ALBANY — It's virtually impossible to have new, electronic voting machines ready for the fall elections, meaning most voters will still be using old, lever-style machines, state officials said yesterday.

New machines can't be tested and certified any earlier than June, leaving too little time for counties to purchase the machines and train workers, said commissioners of the state Board of Elections. Commissioners said they would rather not rush the process at this point — even at the risk of a federal lawsuit — for fear of creating an election debacle.

"If we're forced to do it, or a judge forces us to do it," Commissioner Evelyn Aquila said, "we're going to have an election we'll never forget. It would be so terrible."

Most statewide offices, including governor, and all 212 legislators are up for election this year. The board postponed voting on regulations for new machines, an act that would have launched the bidding process for voting-machine companies. More time was needed to deal with issues of security, verification and testing, among other issues, commissioners said.

- more . . .

http://www.lohud.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060228/NEWS03/602280349/1017

[Talismom]

1. I hope this is true! I do not want this all important election to be

screwed up by the hanky-panky that could result from rushing this process.

[nicknameless]

2. Good on NY for setting a good example

:patriot:

K&R

[mopinko]

3. ditto

i hope they stand up to the flood of intimidation that is about to come their way.
:patriot: indeed.

[iconoclastNYC]

4. DREs are bad....but Lever machines aren't much better.

I have read that machines in Republican areas gets all the best maintenance and the machines in Democrat areas get neglected.

Apparently this can make a huge differnece in who's votes get counted.

I wish NYS would be the first state to insist on paper ballots that are hand counted.

Just one DRE machine per district for disabled people for HAVA compliance.

[feelthebreeze]

5. Not true, not true...

The ability to rig votes is microscopic compared to a touchscreen system. Each wheel in the back of the lever voting booth is removed at each precinct and it is good old fashioned nuts and bolts machinery. I beg you to really look at the facts before you make statements like this. The danger of DRE's is that there is no in precinct security. There is no code, there is no veracity. I could go on and on, but please do not frame this as a business as usual affair. This is a huge victory for NY and we have momentarily stopped the effing treasonous activities of Sequoia, Diebold, ES&S, etc....

[iconoclastNYC]

6. I'm well aware of the facts.

The most important being that the safest method for vote tabiulation is paper ballots counted by hand.

Our Democracy deserves no less than that.

[Wilms]

7. I agree. Paper counted by hand.

In the meantime, NY holds off on investing in DRE's. That would have happened in some counties.

One day the lever machines will be replaced.

But in the meantime there seems to be an effort to open up the software and to avoid purchasing e-vote gear until that happens, if at all.

It also gives more time to demonstrate the advantage of OpScan to counties that may have gone with DRE's had the NYS BoE green-lighted them.

I'm an ex-NYer. So, perhaps you'll pardon my enthusiasm over this development. I hope the same happens in CT, and PA.