MULLANE: NEW VOTING DEVICES NOT NECESSARY

By Ryan Blessing - The Westerly Sun      23 October 2005

N. STONINGTON - The town's first man has joined Attorney General Richard Blumenthal in criticizing a federal decision that could force Connecticut to replace up to 3,300 lever-style voting machines before the 2006 election.

The town has five lever machines that are stored in new Town Hall where the Board of Selectmen holds its weekly meetings.

"They work and have never failed us," First Selectman Nicholas H. Mullane II said, pointing to the large, metal, aqua-colored machines. "Now, we're going to be given one new one, and have to buy four more at $7,000 to $10,000 each."

The U.S. Election Assistance Commission announced last month that the mechanical voting machines don't comply with federal law.

The commission, which advises states on complying with the federal Help America Vote Act (HAVA) found several problems with the lever voting machines.

They do not produce printed records as required by the act, the commission said. Such paper records are necessary for recounts.
 

Also, the lever machines can only provide ballots in a limited number of languages and don't allow private voting for many people with disabilities, according to the commission.

Blumenthal argues that the machines do comply, and should not be replaced before next year's election. He has written to the U.S. Department of Justice concerning the state's position and argues that the commission misinterpreted requirements under the federal act.

"The EAC did not analyze Connecticut's present voting systems or the relevant provisions of Connecticut's election laws," he wrote. "Were the EAC to do so, it could not reasonably conclude that Connecticut's lever voting technology does not meet HAVA standards and must be replaced."

If the town can't use the current voting machines, it would be forced in a matter of months to acquire more modern voting machines such as touch screen or optical devices that scan ballots filled in by hand. Within the last few years, Rhode Island has switched to optical ballot-reader machines.

It is unclear where Connecticut would get the money for new machines.

Blumenthal says the state can provide data showing that lever machines have a low error rate. The machines have multi-language capability, and the state has taken steps to assure that handicapped accessible voting equipment is in every polling location.

Blumenthal also argues that it would be "manifestly unfair" to require the replacement of nearly all of the state's voting equipment before Jan. 1.

Mullane said that North Stonington has no need for the new machines.

"It's a waste of money," he said.

The Justice Department will decide whether to require Connecticut and other states with lever voting machines to switch to newer devices.