By Mark Scott
Albany, NY – A key issue facing the state Legislature between now and the end of the session next month its the selection of new voting machine technology.
The federal Help America Vote Act, or HAVA, requires the state to replace its old lever machines. The federal government is providing the state with millions of dollars for the changeover. But the Legislature has so far been unable to settle on a technology. And as is always the case in Albany, lobbyists hired by voting machine companies with deep pockets are vying for the multi-million dollar contracts.
Barbara Bartoletti, legislative director of New York League of Women Voters says her agency prefers an optical scanner.
"The optical scan is precinct based and features a paper ballot. If you've ever filled out a lottery ticket, it's exactly the same thing. You fill in the little ovals, and then you take the ballot and scan it optically," Bartoletti said. "It is recountable, and it is secure."
But others are fighting for touch screen technology. While voters may find touch screens easy to use, Bartoletti argued it would be more difficult to create a paper trail. The "Albany Times-Union" cites insiders who claim the Legislature may certify several types of voting machines. Individual counties then would choose which ones to buy. Bartoletti said that would lead to confusion.
"We are very concerned that if you have county to county differences, it's going to be very difficult to educate voters and to make sure that poll workers are trained appropriately," Bartoletti said.
The state could lose federal funding if the Legislature fails to act. The new technology must be in place by the November 2006 election.