National 'Computer Ate My Vote' Day?

July 13, 2004
 
By Matt Markovich

SNOHOMISH COUNTY - Tuesday is national "Computer Ate My Vote" Day so says a group of opponents to electronic voting with no paper trail.

Protests are taking place in 19 states, including one in Snohomish County. They are calling for a ban on this system for the fall elections.

Without a paper trail, they want these e-voting machines banned from the November election.

Washington Secretary of State Sam Reed recently showed off electronic voting machines that are currently in use in Snohomish, Yakima and Skamania counties.

"It also gives instructions in earphones if you are sight disabled," he said.

But what it doesn't give you is a paper receipt, verifying how you voted like these other voting machines do.

"There isn't going to be time between now and the election for them to change their equipment; to have a paper trail on it," Reed said.

And there in lies the rub for this November's election. Even with hanging chads, you had a paper ballot to go back to.

Critics of paperless electronic voting say without a paper trail, what do you fall back on incase of a malfunction or a recount?

The maker of Snohomish County's voting machines says that's not necessary.

"There's a 25 year history of using electronic systems in this country and they've been used very successfully throughout the country for hundreds if not thousands of elections," said Alfie Charles with Sequoia Voting Machines.

Critics also claim electronic voting is unreliable, vulnerable to hackers and, until proper safeguards are in place, electronic voting should be banned for the November elections.

"A common practice for local election officials is the let election companies run their election, make up their ballot, set up their machines and even count their tallies," said Ted Selker with the MIT Voting Technology Project. "This is a dangerous practice."

But Reed says Washington will eventually have the paper trail, allowing voters to talk away knowing exactly who or what they voted for.

"Effective in 2006, when most of the counties in the state are going to have electronic voting there will be a requirement of a paper trail," he said.

Those paper receipts can be used in any recount.