Diebold and county too cozy, critics say

By Warren Lutz

FAIRFIELD Some voting rights activists are questioning whether Solano County is acting properly by letting a Diebold employee speak on the Registrar of Voters' behalf.

Jo Murray, who owns a public relations firm in the Bay Area, was hired by Ohio-based Diebold Election Systems to showcase the company's Accu-Vote TSx touch-screen voting machines. Solano County is using the machines for the first time today.

Although she initially identified herself as Diebold representative, in later interviews Murray asked to be called a spokesperson for the Registrar of Voters office. Her local voicemail number says she is "Jo Murray with the Solano County Registrar of Voters."

Registrar of Voters Laura Winslow could not be reached for comment. Her office typically refers media questions involving Diebold to Murray.

County Counsel Dennis Bunting said the county's decision to use a Diebold employee to demonstrate the Accu-Vote TSx "was part of the contract with Diebold."

As for Murray calling herself a spokesperson for the county elections department, Bunting said Murray was "speaking for the Registrar of Voters about the machines."

"If you want to talk about policy, talk to Laura," he said.

Murray said Monday she appreciates the concern some people have over her role but doesn't see a conflict.

"The interests of Solano County and Diebold are the same in seeing that the public is informed about touch-screen voting machines and that the process takes place as smoothly as possible," Murray said.

Doug MacDonald of the local Community Labor Alliance has been bothered by the relationship between Diebold and the Registrar of Voters office.

"It concerns me," MacDonald said. "We're seeing the privatization of our own government."

Kim Alexander, director of the California Voters Project who has criticized paperless voting, has heard of other California counties who were handing off reporters' questions to Diebold representatives.

"I think that counties that have adopted electronic voting systems have recognized that they're something that need to be 'sold' to the public," Alexander said. "But at what point do you draw the line?"

Reach Warren Lutz at 427-6955 or at wlutz@dailyrepublic.net.