Voting machines 'perfect' in tests

By Jim Turner staff writer for TCPalm News
August 12, 2004

STUART — Randomly ed voting machines perfectly recorded every test vote cast Wednesday.

However, local Democrats and American Civil Liberties Union representatives remain skeptical of the county's exclusive reliance on the touch-screen machines in the upcoming elections.

"There's still too much possibility for something to go wrong. It would be much nicer to get a thing I could into a box that said who I voted for," Ed Matson, a Democrat Party volunteer, said after participating in the test.

Matson was one of 13 residents and political candidates who took part in the morning machine trial at the B&A Flea Market warehouse, where the voting equipment is stored.

Ten of the county's 767 iVotronic machines from Electronic Systems and Software were randomly ed. Participants were asked to vote for pre-ed candidates and a city bond issue that will be on the ballot.

Less than an hour later, the results matched the intended outcome.

"I think it went very well," Supervisor of Elections Peggy Robbins said. "It was perfect."

The results, however, didn't change the minds of several participants. They still want a hard copy of each vote.

"I think the people here are honorable, but I think it's appalling that in a great democracy that we can not be sure," said Bob Cunha of the Martin County Democratic Executive Committee. "There is an uneasiness among the public. Certainly I feel uneasy. That shouldn't happen, and this is the first time in my life I feel that way."

Frank Pizziferri, ACLU Treasure Coast vice president, said he attended the test to get a better understanding of the county voting process.

Although he would like the state to do more to restore voter confidence, Pizziferri said some of his questions were answered, such as the fact that the machines are more calculator than computer one could hack into.

"These seem to be very good," said Pizziferri, who lives in Palm City. "You have to have a minimum amount of trust. Don't even show up if you don't have that feeling."