Counting your vote

Florida balloting machines should be re-tested to ensure accurate elections in 2006

Opinion    Florida Today   29 December 2005 

Four days and counting toward 2006, another election year in which Florida voters will choose a governor, U.S. senator, other members of Congress and state legislators.

We're glad, therefore, Gov. Jeb Bush is concerned enough about election security to back a review of the way the state tests electronic voting machines for protections against possible sabotage.

The review was instigated by Leon County Elections Supervisor Ion Sancho, who says tests on his county's Diebold optical scan machines showed they could be hacked and votes changed to swing elections.

Brevard County relies on similar Diebold optical-scan machines.

Supervisor of Elections Fred Galey says he has confidence in the system, but that any review is good, and we agree.

Bush should make sure further tests are conducted, quickly, so Floridians can be assured their votes will be counted accurately come Election Day.

But that's not the only voting concern Bush and incoming Secretary of State Sue Cobb must address.

There's also the matter of touch-screen voting systems used in some 15 Florida counties that don't produce an adequate, verifiable paper trail.

That means there's no fail-safe way to double-check results in close elections.

Cobb, who takes office next month, has weak credentials for overseeing elections.

She can start proving she's fit for the job by tackling both problems from day one.