By Mark Scott
Albany, NY – New York state has until January 4th to develop a timeline for how it will comply with the federal election law that requires states to purchase more reliable and accessible voting machines.
A federal judge in Albany Thursday expressed his frustration at the state's failure to meet the requirements, reminding Board of Elections officials that he could throw them in jail. Judge Gary Sharpe added that if the deadline passes without any action, he will consider establishing a "special master" such as Governor Eliot Spitzer to force the state into compliance.
The state has submitted two different plans to the court for how and when it could meet the new voting mandates.
The new technology would replace the more than century-old pull-lever voting machines which aren't accessible for the disabled.
New York is the only state which has not complied with the Help America Vote Act, which was passed in the wake of the controversial presidential election in 2000.