County lawmakers unite on state vote issue
Verifiable record seen as essential
By Anthony Farmer
Poughkeepsie Journal   11 December 2004

Any new voting machines used in the state should have a backup system to help ensure all votes are counted, Dutchess County lawmakers say.

New York state has until 2006 to comply with federal legislation designed to help reform the way elections are conducted in the country and make sure all voters' ballots are counted. New voting machines will have to be in place in New York for the 2006 election.

The county Legislature recently voted unanimously to urge the state to use machines that leave a verifiable trail, allowing for accurate recounts, if needed.

''We owe it to our voters in Dutchess County and New York state to show that we're committed to having every vote counted,'' said Legislator William McCabe, D-Union Vale, the main sponsor of the measure.

Many fear electronic and computerized voting machines being considered for use in New York won't be able to provide assurances votes are recorded as voters intended and will have no way of accounting for individual votes following an election.

Some are afraid such machines could be tampered with and the outcome of elections could be rigged.

Lawmakers urged the state to approve voting systems that:

- Allow a voter to review and modify their choices before actually casting the ballot.

- Incorporate a verification backup system that allows an accurate accounting of votes.

- Maintain the voter's anonymity.

Paper trail controversial

Some said a paper trail, such as a receipt for each voter, would be needed to allow for verification.

But others said it wasn't necessary and could pose a logistical nightmare. The measure made no mention of a paper trail.

''Systems can be made that are secure that do not require paper,'' Dutchess Republican Elections Commissioner David Gamache said.

The mechanical machines used in New York keep a running total of the votes cast for each candidate and a total is simply read off each machine when the polls close. There is no paper trail for individual votes cast at the polls, under the current system.

Absentee and provisional ballots are filled out on paper in the state.

When an election is close, those paper ballots become the focus of scrutiny among lawyers hired by candidates involved in the race. A piece of paper showing how each person voted would be a field day for election lawyers, Gamache said.

''It's something we have to be careful of,'' Gamache said. ''Does it mean every close election goes to litigation?''