Secretary of state announces new requirements for electronic voting machines

Associated Press  06 October 2005

SACRAMENTO - Secretary of State Bruce McPherson announced new requirements for electronic voting machines Wednesday and said he would create a unit in his office to test and certify the machines.

"We must take these fundamental steps to guarantee public confidence in our voting process," McPherson said in a speech to the California Black Chamber of Commerce.

He laid out 10 requirements that the machines must meet for use in California elections, starting in 2006, including approval by an independent testing unit certified by the U.S. Election Assistance Commission.

Other requirements include providing state election officials with full information about the workings of the machines and providing machines for testing under simulated Election Day conditions.

The new rules would also set up groups of election experts to review operation of the machines.

Ashley Snee Giovannettone, McPherson's communications director, said four companies with electronic voting machines currently approved for use in California have already substantially complied with the requirements.

California law already requires the machines to provide so-called paper trails to assure voters that their votes were accurately recorded.