Touch-screen voting hasn't been 'sold' to officials

By Eric Stringfellow    The Clarion Ledger    03 July 2005

Secretary of State Eric Clark's exuberance ? given what's at stake ? over new voting machines was understandable.

On Clark's watch, Mississippi has a chance to revolutionize the way it conducts elections, making the process more voter-friendly while ensuring the integrity of ballots and elections. A key feature of this much-needed election upgrade is that it doesn't have to cost local taxpayers a dime ? if they agree to invest in Clark's "Wal-Mart" approach to acquiring the machines.

This could be part of a significant legacy for Clark. This also is why it's difficult to comprehend Clark's narrow approach to selling the process and the machines' specifications before settling on a vendor.

Eric Stringfellow 
This oversight will be an unnecessary migraine for the secretary of state's office, which is unfortunate.

No paper trail

Among those not sharing Clark's enthusiasm for Diebold Election Systems Inc. include some circuit clerks, U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson, the Legislative Black Caucus and the NAACP.

Clark last week said the state had entered into a $15 million contract with Diebold for 5,164 new touch-screen voting machines ? about one for every 190 voters. The machines will help Mississippi become compliant with the federal Help America Vote Act, which mandates that scanner, lever and punch-card machines be replaced by Jan. 1.

A key issue is that the machines initially will not be equipped to accommodate paper verification of votes, a feature Clark said will be added if Congress fully funds the reforms in next year's budget.

That's inadequate.

"With all of the stuff that goes on with elections in this state, for us not to have a paper record is ridiculous," said Thompson, whose 2006 re-election contest will be among the first with new machines.

State Rep. Walter Robinson, D-Bolton, who chairs the Mississippi Legislative Black Caucus, agrees. "These machines fail to provide a paper trail ? making it very difficult to ensure the integrity of the voting process," Robinson said in a June 30 letter to Clark. He also questioned whether poor counties could afford enough machines to meet their needs.

Option to opt out

Some circuit clerks are concerned about Clark's interpretation of the law, said Oktibbeha County Circuit Clerk Angie McGinnis, a Circuit Clerks Association past president. McGinnis told the DeSoto Times the organization was preparing a resolution asking lawmakers to allow some counties to opt out of Clark's plan.

"Counties that have optical scanners should be able to opt out of the new plan without losing money," she said. "If they have to start replacing machines, it's going to get expensive."

State NAACP President Derrick Johnson said his organization plans to hold hearings. "The issue is two-fold: voter verification and Clark's interpretation of the law regarding counties who don't purchase Diebold machines. We think he is wrong."

Clark obviously took the wrong path to winning support for his plan to reform the state's voting process. More dialogue with elected officials, organizations and voters would have added authenticity and migraine prevention.