Volusia blind voters sue for touchscreen voting
The Associated Press

July 05, 2005

Blind voters sued the Volusia County election supervisor Tuesday in an effort to force a switch to touchscreen voting machines, claiming the current optical scan system denied them equal access because they need help to use it.

The lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Orlando alleged that the county's continuing use of the optical scan system violated state law and the Americans with Disabilities Act.

It asked the court to require the election supervisor to have touchscreen machines in place for October municipal elections. Volusia County, home to Daytona Beach, is about 35 miles northeast of Orlando.

The lawsuit was filed almost a month after the Volusia County Council narrowly rejected a contract with Diebold Election Systems to buy touchscreen machines because some council members were uncomfortable their lack of a paper ballot.

Ann McFall, Volusia County's elections supervisor, said her attorney would file a motion asking the judge for guidance on how to proceed.

A spokesman for Volusia County didn't immediately return a phone call.