Top of Utah prepares for electronic voting machines

Friday, September 9, 2005

By Lynze Wardle   Standard-Examiner staff
Residents of Box Elder and Weber counties will use Diebold electronic voting machines in June's primary elections, despite allegations that the systems are susceptible to tampering and mechanical failure.

Weber County commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday to receive 657 Diebold AccuVote TSX voting units with touch-screen monitors.

Because the county chose the state's recommended model, they will receive federal funds from the state to cover the system's $2.17 million cost. Commissioner Ken Bischoff was absent from the meeting.

Box Elder County commissioners Aug. 30 voted unanimously to receive 174 of the Diebold units, at a cost to the state of $500,000.

Commissioner Scott Hansen was absent from the meeting.

The equipment upgrade was prompted by the Help America Vote Act of 2002, which requires states to punch-card systems by 2006.

Lt. Gov. Gary Herbert promised counties funding from a $25 million federal grant if they chose the Diebold model.

Weber County Elections Administrator Scott Hogensen said it was to ensure citizens who move from one county to another don't have to re-learn how to vote on a different type of machine.

According to Kathy Dopp of election-monitoring group Utah Count Votes, the Diebold systems are vulnerable to internal tampering, and produce results nearly impossible to hand check.

"When you vote on a Diebold DRE (direct-recording electronic system), you're adding a vote to be manipulated," Dopp said.

Each unit records voters' choices on a roll of paper, with a corresponding bar code that can be scanned if a recount is needed.

Dopp said if a unit malfunctions, its bar code could be inaccurate.

"The voter has no way of knowing what the bar code says or what vote it actually recorded," Dopp said.

Unlike traditional, individual ballots, the long rolls of paper would be difficult to sort, and have fast-fading ink that could be hard to interpret if a manual recount was needed later, she said.

Hogensen said the machines have three internal checkpoints to ensure the bar codes are printed correctly.

Because the units are not connected to the Internet or county computer systems, he said, they can't be accessed by hackers.

Each system's main server will be kept behind locked doors, and election officials will not be allowed to access it unless accompanied by at least one other person.

Hogensen was among Utah election supervisors who traveled to Georgia last month to observe a municipal election that used Diebold equipment.

He said the election ran smoothly and the battery-powered units continued to function despite power surges.

"We found in Georgia that the system worked very well. They haven't had any problems and the public liked it," Hogensen said.

Before approving the final election results, Weber County commissioners will make sure the number of people who voted equals the number of votes counted, Commissioner Camille Cain said.

Hogensen said an additional auditing system likely will be created.

Brigham City and Kaysville will use the Diebold systems for their November elections. Box Elder County Recorder/Clerk LuAnn Adams said she doesn't anticipate any problems, and said she has received positive feedback about units that have been displayed at the county fair and community functions.