3 counties get OK to purchase voting machines
Wednesday, October 05, 2005
By TAYLOR BRIGHT   Huntsville Times

With new equipment, area will comply with federal law

MONTGOMERY - Approaching the 2006 election, three counties now have the permission they need to buy new voting machines after a Madison County legislator cast the deciding vote.

The Alabama Electronic Voting Committee on Tuesday approved several systems counties can buy to comply with the federal Help America Vote Act. 
 Three counties, DeKalb, Montgomery and Mobile, have to buy all-new voting equipment to comply with the federal law.

"Give us some equipment," said Buddy Sharpless, executive director of the Association of County Commissions of Alabama, summing up the counties' position.

The committee had been deadlocked 2-2. State Sen. Jeff Enfinger, D-Huntsville, missed the last meeting, but attended Tuesday's meeting.

"The chairman made a point of scheduling a meeting I could attend," Enfinger said.

Before Tuesday, the committee could not agree which accuracy and reliability standards would be used to certify the voting machines. Chairman Bill English, who is Lee County probate judge, and Rushing Payne from the attorney general's office favored an older standard. Secretary of State Nancy Worley and state Rep. Priscilla Dunn, D-Bessemer, wanted to make counties use a newer standard, but one that would make 63 counties replace their equipment by 2008.

The 3-2 vote for the 1990 standards allows the counties to buy the machines the committee certified in a separate vote.

The counties must buy the equipment, train poll workers and have the system in place before the primary elections next June.