Get cracking on voting fixes

Editorial   Poughkeepsie Journal    23 May 2005

For reasons that completely defy logic, New York lawmakers have failed to make the necessary changes to the state's voting laws.

Federal officials, following the 2000 presidential voting mess in Florida, approved many reforms and offered billions of dollars to states to upgrade voting equipment and to devise better ways to weed out fraud and to assure accuracy at the polls.

That was in 2002. Three years later, state leaders still are predictably bickering about how to move forward. The state could lose $200 million in federal money if the changes aren't in place by next year's elections. That means key decisions have to be made now, not later.

So far, lawmakers have agreed to start a statewide database of registered voters, in part to stop fraud and to make it easier for those working the polls to figure out if someone is eligible to vote. But the most difficult issue involves getting rid of old lever-style machines and replacing them with viable alternatives.

Experts themselves disagree over the accuracy of more computerized balloting. Some are concerned about computer hackers, others cite possible problems with computer software. At one point, under heavy lobbying, lawmakers seemed inclined to support touch-screen voting booths that resemble ATM machines. But some are now coming around to the wisdom of also allowing optical scanning systems that enable voters to mark paper ballots that are then read by computers. On balance, optical scan systems are more affordable than electronic machines and are considered by many experts to be easier to use.

Decisions will be made at county level

Rather than make a complete decision, the state has opted to leave the choice in the hands of county boards of election. But it still hasn't set the necessary guidelines for counties or cities to move forward on any machine purchases. It will take time for manufacturers to build the machines and for elections officials to train inspectors and educate the public on how to use the new voting booths.

Under federal law, all machines must be handicapped-accessible. But the state also should make it clear that the machines must generate a paper trail.

The state's delays on these matters are outrageous. It needs to work out the details soon so the upgrades can be in place by the 2006 elections.