Security of electronic voting deserves more scrutiny

E D I T O R I A L S

State Sen. Jeff Jacobson is a leader of a bipartisan move to slow Secretary of State J. Kenneth Blackwell's purchase of new, electronic voting machines to replace punch-card mechanisms.

Jacobson has a point.

Blackwell has proceeded deliberately and carefully, with no undue rush. He is responding to a federal mandate to the state's voting systems. He's done his job.

Meanwhile, though, various alarms have been rung about the new machines. Experts have found security flaws.

Some counties, though, have been asking for more time to make a choice of machines and more feedback about new studies and improvements.

And a few problems have come to light in other states, including Florida, where machines recorded votes by fewer people than came to a voting place.

As a result, voices have been rising around the country calling for machines that provide a "paper trail" as insurance against fraud or glitches.

In that context, for the state Legislature to step in and hold formal hearings only makes sense. The public needs to be assured that the whole matter isn't being decided by one person. Better that the Legislature should want to take some responsibility than that it should pass the buck.

Dayton Daily News