Wetzel Commissioners Discuss Voting

By BARB MINOR    Wheeling News-Register   23 March 2005

NEW MARTINSVILLE - Wetzel County Clerk Carol Haught approached commissioners on Tuesday regarding the purchase of an optical scan voting system on the recommendation of Secretary of State Betty Ireland.
  "Our Secretary of State came to the conclusion the optical scan system is the best system for the state and will replace the punch cards and lever machines," Haught said. "I don't feel it's one of the best systems. The punch card system has stood the test of time in Wetzel County and in West Virginia."

  Wetzel County, Haught said, has used the punch card voting system since the late 1970's with some success. Now, the Secretary of State's office is encouraging counties to move toward a paper ballot where voters darken in the appropriate circle indicating their choice.

  "The optic scan system is probably the best solution for the county for the time being," Haught said. "The HAVA (Help America Vote Act) funding can only be used to get the aximum amount for the optic scan system. We cannot purchase anything new for the punch card system with that money and if the funds aren't used by Jan. 1, 2006, it's gone. It's gone forever. We won't have the option to go back; your allotment is gone."

   HAVA requires the state to have one voting system accessible to voters with disabilities in each of the 1,960 precincts across West Virginia. HAVA further requires that punch card systems and lever machines be replaced by the Jan. 1 deadline or an extensive education program be in place to train poll workers and voters.

  Through HAVA, federal funds are available to replace the punch card and lever systems currently used by 15 counties, along with providing a handicap-accessible voting machine.

  Correspondence from Ireland to Haught indicates the optical scan system ". . . allows for an ease of recount, it also provides for a verifiable paper trail, which is a major requirement for the federal government and in the best interest of our state's voters."

Ireland's office calculated that Wetzel County will need: 22 handicapped-accessible stations at $3,500 each; a handicapped accessible computer, and extra equipment for ADA compliance. The cost of implementing the equipment for handicapped-accessibility is estimated at $80,500.

  Also, Ireland has alloted the county 35 voting booths at $150 each, and a central count scanner. This portion of the voting system will cost $50,250.

  The total cost of this portion of the new system amounts to $130,750 with HAVA picking up the tab for the whole amount.

  However, Ireland only figured 57 voting booths for the 22 precincts in Wetzel County based on one station per every 200 voters. Currently, the county has 137 stations for the 11,485 voters in the county.

  They're basing their numbers on one machine for every 200 voters," Haught said. "I don't think that's sufficient. I think 57 stations is totally inadequate."

  Another option available to Wetzel County is the placement of 23 precinct-based scanners, or one per precinct plus one handicapped-accessible machine. The cost of these units is estimated at $110,256 which can be borrowed from the Revolving Loan Program at half that, or $55,128.