S.C. voting plan up for public review

By Jim Davenport

The Associated Press

'Anything that we can do to improve confidence in the process I think is a plus. A lot of people say, "My vote doesn't count.'"
S.C. Rep. Joe Neal D-Hopkins

COLUMBIA - The state Election Commission has wrapped up work on a voting plan and now is asking the the public to comment on it, but the commission's plan for a new electronic voting system already is drawing criticism because it won't give voters a receipt showing their ballot ions.

"It helps to have the voter have the confirmation their vote has been received in the fashion they cast it," state Rep. Joe Neal, D-Hopkins. In a low turnout state like South Carolina, he said, "anything that we can do to improve confidence in the process I think is a plus. A lot of people say 'My vote doesn't count,'" he said.

Marci Andino, director of the S.C. Election Commission, said receipts aren't needed. The new electronic system would show a summary screen of ions a voter made on the ballot before they finally vote. It would prevent a person voting twice in the same race and would show if they had failed to vote in any contest.

But receipts could serve as proof in election fraud challenges and could be matched later with vote-by-vote tallies in the machines, Neal said.

Most of the 11 counties getting new equipment to use in November's elections don't want voter receipts, Andino said. County election officials fear receipts will lead to longer lines, she said.

"The main concern is the length of time it takes to print a receipt," Andino said. Counties also worry voters challenging the content of the receipt could also lead to longer lines, Andino said.

"I don't believe that's true," Neal said. The receipts would take no longer to print than what automated teller machines provide, he said.

Some also are concerned voter receipts would "lead to vote buying if you hand a person a receipt," Andino said.

A receipt could allow someone to prove to a vote buyer how they cast a ballot.

But the receipts issued to voters could help in prosecution of that crime, Neal said.

Neal said receipts also would be a protection against hacking of electronic voting systems intended to fraudulently change the outcome of an election.

Andino said the electronic system South Carolina will use will provide a paper trail that allows officials to review voting and to detect fraud.

Andino said the election plan that citizens are asked to review does not make substantial changes in the way elections are now conducted. However, the plan is a requirement under a federal law that will bring the state $48 million during the next three years for election system improvements.

Those new voting machines are the biggest part of that spending.

Three companies offered proposals for those devices last week. Andino said a decision could be made later this week about who will receive the contract and what the state will pay.

The state had awarded the contract to Election Systems & Software in April for $32.5 million.

Other companies protested that award. It was thrown out because the Nebraska company did not provide a fixed price for operating and maintaining the machines. That prompted a new request for proposals.