Future of voting is coming, but it?s not here yet
Editorial     The Daily Local News   10/05/2005

 Electronic voting is the wave of the future and probably the near future, but don?t expect the Chester County Office of Voter Services to throw away its punch cards following November?s elections. It?s supposed to be able to throw them away, but it probably shouldn?t.

By law and by May 2006, Chester County and the other 66 counties in Pennsylvania are supposed to switch from punch-card or lever-voting machines to electronic ones tested and approved by the state.

But county officials including Commissioner Carol Aichele are skeptical that will be possible, and we see why. Pennsylvania has tested and certified just one company?s voting machine. It?s currently reviewing the systems of seven other companies.

But companies can?t start mass-producing voting machines until they know exactly what machines will pass muster. With Pennsylvania needing thousands upon thousands of voting machines and all the other states needing their own, we see why some wonder whether enough voting machines will be available for the May primary.

"I have confidence in the can-do attitude of manufacturers, but this may even be a stretch for them," Aichele said.

This all means November may not be the last election where we get to punch holes next to our favorite candidates, or the last time we hear of hanging chads.