Concerns expressed on voter database

By GORDON FRASER   The Laconia Citizen    05 June 2005

PLYMOUTH ? Several residents expressed concern about the state's move to compile voter information into a computer database ? which can be checked against other state databases to prevent voter fraud ? at a public hearing on upcoming changes in New Hampshire's voting procedure at Plymouth State University Thursday.

Representatives from the Attorney General's office and the N.H. Department of State delivered a presentation to residents and voting officials, updating them about the process the state has followed to comply with the Help America Vote Act, or HAVA.

HAVA was adopted into federal law in October of 2002. The goal of the legislation was to improve voting infrastructure, provide greater access to voting by persons with disabilities, and provide election officials with an information "clearinghouse."

States must be prepared to comply with HAVA by January of 2006, and, according to Assistant Secretary of State Anthony Stevens, New Hampshire is right on track. "There's been a lot of work that's gone into this," he said, "We're essentially on schedule."

To comply with the federal legislation, New Hampshire will provide special voting equipment to disabled voters, as well as compile the names and personal information of all state voters into a database.

The type of ballot marking machine for persons with disabilities, or any resident who choses to use the equipment, for that matter, has not yet been chosen. Several companies have come forward to present New Hampshire with options.

Under current state law, only a marked, paper ballot may be used to cast a vote. So, unlike states such as Georgia and Maryland, where votes are entered into computers and counted electronically, New Hampshire's ballot marking machines will print a paper ballot, which will then be counted by an election official or, in some towns, a voting machine.

Senior Assistant Attorney General Bud Fitch explained that the paper ballot is an important safeguard. It will, he said, allow election officials to control the process. He pointed to recent controversies and allegations of voting fraud in states with completely electronic systems.

The second change will be a computer database of registered voters. New Hampshire has already contracted a private corporation, Covansys, to build the database. Again, there will be human safeguards on the process. Election officials in each town will be asked to check a list printed from the database against their own records several days before the election.

Residents will still have the opportunity to register on the day of voting, although most towns will not be able to enter those individuals into the state's computer system on-site.

The advantage of the computer system, according to Fitch, is that state officials will be notified if an individual votes in multiple locations ? either within New Hampshire or within a neighboring state. He did say, however, that he believes such voter-fraud is extremely rare.

Several residents raised concerns about such a database, however, both because elements of the program will be controlled by a private company and because it may allow the government to track individuals as they vote ? although state officials were very clear that the database will only flag double voting, and not residents with two domiciles or voter registrations in two towns.

"I would feel extremely uncomfortable putting my right to vote in the hands of a private corporation," said Susan Ticehurst.

Nancy Tobi of Democracy for New Hampshire, agreed, explaining that private companies are not required to be as transparent as the state or federal government. "We just need to be eternally vigilant," she said.

Fitch responded to their concerns. "I would disagree with (the) characterization that we've given away the system (to a private corporation)," he said.

He explained that the state will administrate the computer program. And, if it ever became necessary, the state could seize the database through a process similar to eminent domain. He also explained that the cost to purchase full control of the system would be prohibitive at this time.

Assistant Secretary of State Anthony Stevens said that the choice to use a private company, rather than build the database with state employees, was largely based on HAVA's tight schedule. To meet the January 2006 deadline, he said, the state had to use a company already prepared to build such a database.

Stevens went on to say that all New Hampshire towns have turned their voter information over to the state, and the database-building process has already begun.

State officials were quick to point out that the average voter will not see a particularly great change in the voting process, though. Voting will still be conducted in booths with paper ballots, although people with disabilities will have the opportunity to use machines to assist them.

"These changes should be virtually invisible," Fitch said.

The next scheduled statewide election is in November of 2006.