Ballot paper trail unlikely in '06, Palm Beach elections chief says

By Anthony Man    South Florida Sun-Sentinel    December 4 2005

 
It has been almost a year since Arthur Anderson took office as supervisor of elections after a campaign that included a promise to "ensure there is an auditable paper trail for all touch-screen voting machines."

Progress toward that goal has been glacial, and for months Anderson has said there is no realistic chance that Palm Beach County residents will vote in the 2006 gubernatorial election on anything but the electronic machines that are vilified by some of the people who worked to put him in office.

 
Meanwhile, he has somewhat softened his commitment to printers.

Appearing before the Democratic Executive Committee this summer, Anderson acknowledged many members of his party were concerned about the paper-trail issue. "I don't want to make an unqualified commitment," he said.

Opponents of the electronic, touch-screen machines plan to protest on Thursday at the next meeting of Anderson's Election Technology Advisory Committee.

"Of course I'm frustrated," said Susan Van Houten, co-chair of the Palm Beach Coalition for Election Reform. "His [Anderson's] campaign ran on the whole notion of having a verifiable paper ballot trail."

Van Houten said she and other members of the coalition, who are protesting along with the county's Green Party, want to know why Palm Beach County is heading into an election year still relying on touch-screen machines that the group considers unreliable.

"We want to know why. We need an explanation," she said. "Why would we entertain continuing to use these machines?"

Notices of the rally, scheduled for 5:30 p.m. at Anderson's office, 240 S. Military Trail, west of West Palm Beach, urge people to bring signs demanding that the machines be dumped, and be prepared to ask Anderson to "keep the promise."

Anderson formed the Election Technology Advisory Committee to consider all possible election technology, including paper ballots tallied by optical scanners and printers to attach to the machines.

He filled the committee with people holding widely divergent views, ranging from top technology people at local government agencies to people who distrust the electronic voting machines.

The composition has made meetings rough at times, said its chairwoman, Linda Mainord, who is the school district's chief technology officer.

But, she said, she still hopes the group can reach a consensus by February, close to the initial timetable despite hurricane delays.

Mainord said the committee majority wanted to hear from all vendors of election technology to "see what is offered, what can be offered, what is the cost, what is the timeframe and last but not least, how is it better than what we have?"

Regardless of what the committee recommends, installation of printers isn't entirely up to Anderson. His intentions, either now or leading up to the August 2004 election, don't make much difference if printers aren't legally allowed by the state.

Any election equipment used in Florida first must pass a rigorous certification process by the Secretary of State's Office, which includes extensive testing.

Certification of printers for Sequoia voting machines, the brand used in Palm Beach County, has been going on for most of the year. Jenny Nash, spokeswoman for the Secretary of State's Office, said phase two testing of a Sequoia equipment setup that includes printers is scheduled for this week.

Once testing is completed, and any problems are worked out, the Sequoia equipment would be certified for use in Florida, Nash said.

Anderson has said in interviews and before the Democratic Party that it would take a year from the time equipment is certified until it could be put into use, a timetable that extends past the November 2006 elections.

"I'll give you whatever I can give you, but it's not within my power, because at this time the state has not certified the equipment. Nevertheless, I continue to support having such an initiative as long as that is in the best interests of the community at the time," he said.

Even thought the electronic voting machines without printers are controversial to some people, Palm Beach County may soon get 500 more.

The County Commission on Tuesday is scheduled to consider Anderson's request to spend $1.2 million on 500 refurbished Sequoia machines.

Anderson has said that new machines are vital to ensuring a smooth election next year.