New voting machines in Pittsfield
Updated: 2/12/2004 9:44 AM
By: Ryan Peterson

State and Federal mandates are requiring municipalities all over the country to phase out and eventually eliminate some older forms of voting technology, including those old lever pulling booths so many of us are used to.

Ken Hajjar of LHS Associates said, "The Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the federal government have dictated that the machines be removed in favor of something else. The something else in Massachusetts is optical scanning."

Hajjar from LHS Associates of Methuen, MA ran the training session. LHS is the state distributor of the new machines, and will also be responsible for programming them for each election.

Optical scanners are considered to be the most reliable machines available and give you the results at the push of a button. Voters will once again be filling out a paper ballot by coloring in ovals just like on your SAT's.

Pittsfield city clerk Jody Phillips said, "I think the hardest thing is getting people used to the new procedure, the new ballot looks different. You're going to do a couple of different steps when you walk in there. Just the initial change over is going to be the hardest thing to get used to."

Ultimately the new machines should make polling place volunteers' jobs easier at the end of the night, when the counts are coming in, but most volunteers say they're a little apprehensive about using the new system the first time out.

Walter Duda said, "If we understand it there won't be any problems, but I'm sure there's going to be some problems."

Rita Spratlin said, "I don't think voters read what they should."

Pittsfield residents will be introduced to the new ballots and scanners in the primary election on March 2.