My LTTE regarding voting machines.

[sutz12]

In response to this George Will editorial:

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/290742_will02.html

Titled: Machine doesn't HAVA chance of precision

Excerpt:

The hoariest jest in conservatism's repertoire is that the three least credible assertions in the English language are "The check is in the mail," "Of course I'll respect you as much in the morning" and "I'm from the government and I'm here to help you." Which brings us to the exquisitely named Help America Vote Act.

Having fixed Iraq and New Orleans, the federal government's healing touch is now being applied to voting. As a result, days -- perhaps weeks -- might pass after Election Day without the nation knowing which party controls the House or Senate. If that happens, one reason might be HAVA, that 2002 bit of federal helpfulness.

For more than two centuries before Congress passed HAVA, Americans voted. Really. Unlike today, those who were elected -- Clay, Webster, Lincoln and lesser lights -- often were more complex and sophisticated than the voting machinery.

My LTTE:

Columnist George Will's commentary on the state of voting machines misses the mark entirely. While it is true that the HAVA bill was misguided and poorly executed, that does not mean we need to go the Luddite path back to lead pencils and hand counted paper ballots. Many Americans think the last two elections were stolen, with assists by the same voting machines that Mr Will now lambastes. With the likelihood of a Democratic win next Tuesday, it would appear that he is setting the stage for large scale Republican challenges to the election results, the kind of challenges that were so discouraged when the Republicans won, using the same voting machines.

The quality of the machines should not be an issue. This speaks to poor oversight by politicians, interested more in awarding lucrative contracts to cronies than in ensuring accurate elections. I can go to an ATM anywhere in the country where my bank has a branch and withdraw funds, get a statement, and/or transfer $1,234.56 from one account to another with an accuracy that approaches certainty. I even get a printed receipt. Will's assertion that voting machines cannot be that accurate is astounding. No doubt in his travels he uses credit and debit cards and expects 100% accuracy in reporting and billing with rock solid security against ID theft and hacking. To say we cannot do this with voting machines is a copout.

There is a vast undercurrent of dissatisfaction with voting machines that is all over the internet, but gets little press coverage. It is widely known that the owners of the three major manufacturers of voting machines in America are large Republican donors. In some cases, they are also a major manufacturer of ATMs. Why can't they build a voting machine that approaches, or better yet exceeds the quality, security, and accuracy of their ATMs?

The answer is not to turn back the clock to the 19th century. The answer is to get voting machines commensurate with 21st century technology that are accurate and accountable, with paper printouts that can be recounted if needed and software that can be verified by disinterested third parties. Our democratic process depends on accurate, verifiable, transparent elections. It seems that current voting machines provide none of that.

[sutz12]

1. Shameless kick

:kick:

[ovidsen]

2. George Will was for voting machines before he was against them n/t