Firm's voting machine could provide needed 'paper trail'

By: Shanay Cadette , Staff Writer
06/25/2004

Company says politics, not technology, drives decision-making by local election officials.

   WEST WINDSOR — This West Windsor company has had a touch-screen electronic voting machine that can produce voter-verifiable paper trails — a receipt, per se — for several years.
   But Avante International Technology, Inc. has sold only one machine.
   Voters have fawned over the machines in test trials and at several live elections across the country. One machine is state- and federally certified, while a more improved version is federally certified and expects to be state-certified in about a month. It is competitively priced and the company can fill large orders for its machines.
   Avante's machines are also secure, error-free, accessible and have a zero chance of residual votes being counted if used properly, its executives say.
   But politics may be keeping the machine out of voters' hands, they say, despite the fact that many voters want to see paper records after they vote.
   "We find the purchasing is more political rather than technical," explained Cynthia Chu, executive vice president at Avante. Sales are based on "who do you know in the county. It's frustrating."
   Yes, many electronic machines on the market today can print vote counts, but they will print whatever mistakes were made throughout the day. "If anybody wants to recount or go back and check (votes), there's no way to check," said Joseph Tallone, director of business development at Avante.
   Having a verifiable "paper record is going to be the way to go because we believe it's the only way to have a transparent election," Ms. Chu said.
   And many voters and politicians, like U.S. Rep. Rush Holt (D-12), agree — citizens have held rallies and circulated petitions calling for records and Rep. Holt has sponsored legislation supporting them.
   Despite that outcry, Avante's executives say they are not making inroads with counties or politicians who seem to want to deal with machine manufacturers they have always dealt with and not the new kid on the block.
   "Even though people love our machines, they can't buy our machines," Mr. Tallone said. "In this business, it's not technology that sells."
   But that could soon change.
   The Help America Vote Act of 2002 — which was enacted after the hoopla surrounding the 2000 presidential election and provides federal funding for states to replace punch-card voting systems — does not require verifiable paper trails. That missing link spurred Rep. Holt to sponsor legislation requiring a verifiable audit trail for electronic voting machines. Called the Voter Confidence and Increased Accountability Act, the legislation boasts the support of more than 140 bipartisan co-sponsors.
   Because the Republican-controlled House Committee on House Administration refuses to hold a hearing on the bill, Rep. Holt said it is unlikely the bill will be approved in time for the election.
   But support for verifiable records continues to build.
   Voting rights activists organized a major national rally this week calling on Congress to pass a law guaranteeing the use of paper trails in time for the November election. Yet another rally is expected to be hosted by various groups in 15 states next month asking state election officials to sign a pledge of ballot integrity.
   Avante's executives, along with politicians and citizens, hope the trend will hold because paper records ensure every vote counts.
   Rep. Holt said each vote is sacred and the only person who can verify that a ballot is accurate is the person casting the vote, period. "Certainly in the long run, I'm optimistic" about the passage of the bill, he said. "It makes sense."
   "I know that there is a lot of controversy over the record," said Jane E. Williams-Warren, first vice president for the Municipal Clerks Association of New Jersey. "I think it's a good idea. I think it's important for people to know that their vote has counted."